Until The End
by Mako Headrush
Summary: Reno and Cloud grapple with a longstanding mutual attraction, but who will make the first move? Cloud's past comes back to haunt him yet again, and threatens his newfound happiness. Yaoi, RenoxCloud
1. Google it, Yo

**REVISED 11/21/10: This started out as a casual one-shot, but obviously grew into something much bigger!**

**Setting: Time line - post FF7. Sephiroth has been vanquished by Cloud, the city of Edge is taking shape; Reno and Rude are still Turks, and Cloud is working at his delivery service. Tifa's running Seventh Heaven as usual.**

**Summary: Cloud and Reno are grappling with a mutual attraction, and are surprised to find something more than just simple lust. Will their happiness be short-lived, as Cloud's past comes back to haunt him...again?**

**Lemons, yaoi, some happy happy joy joy, more lemons, and then major angst down the road...**

**Disclaimer: Square Enix owns all things FF related, Scissor Sisters own songs quoted herein.**

**Rated M for safety. Please read and review, and enjoy! xoxoxo**

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Reno was bopping through the streets of Edge wearing his headphones, iPod turned up full blast, and oblivious to everything. He was heading over to Cloud's apartment to hang out and have a few drinks. _Hopefully we'll do more than just drink_, mused Reno, smiling. Reno had taken a shine to the stoic Cloud Strife, and was doing everything he could to seduce him, but Cloud wasn't taking the bait. _Yet,_ Reno reminded himself, twirling his flaming red ponytail thoughtfully.

Reaching Cloud's apartment building, Reno jammed the doorbell corresponding to the apartment with his thumb. He pulled one earbud out of his ear, awaiting a reply. "Yeah," came a voice over the intercom.

"It's Reno, yo," replied Reno. "Lemme in."

The buzzer sounded, and Reno strolled in, slamming the door behind him. Reinserting his earbud, he turned the volume up on his iPod, and began singing. _"Gonna take your mama out all night, yeah, we'll show her what it's all about…"_ Unfortunately for anyone within earshot, Reno was singing quite a few decibels louder than necessary, owing to the earbuds that were firmly planted in both ears.

Reaching Cloud's door, Reno was surprised to see it already opened, and Cloud standing there glaring at him. "Reno!" hissed Cloud. "Tone it down, already, you'll wake up my neighbors! What the hell is that you're singing anyway?" Cloud asked irritably.

Cloud had a fairly awful day working at his delivery service; one pickup became damaged during transit, and the recipient was none too pleased about this, so Cloud had to eat the cost of the delivery fee, and the item itself. Normally, Cloud enjoyed Reno's company; the two had once been enemies, but eventually became friends.

"Dude, it's Scissor Sisters, yo," laughed Reno. "Seriously, you've never heard of them? They're awwwwwesome!" crowed Reno. "Here, listen," he commanded, placing the earbuds in Cloud's ears.

"Reno. I am not interested in listening to a bunch of hairdressers singing!" snapped Cloud.

At this, Reno began to guffaw. "Um, dude? They're not hairdressers, yo. And, you need to lose the attitude. Work's done for the day, so what's up your ass now?"

"Rough day at work. I'll get over it," Cloud replied briefly, vowing to turn his irritable attitude around, and not take it out on Reno. Smiling, Cloud had had to admit to himself that the Turk could be most entertaining, and fun to hang out with, after a bad day at work.

"Damn right you'll get over it," declared Reno. "That's why I'm here, yo!" he said, grinning.

Cloud smirked at the overly happy Turk. "Well, if they're not hairdressers… then what are they, then?" he asked Reno distractedly. He headed into the kitchen, and opened the refrigerator. "Want a beer?" Cloud offered.

"Hell yeah," replied Reno affirmatively.

"Heads up!" shouted Cloud, as he lobbed a beer toward Reno. Catching it deftly, Reno popped the cap off and began chugging. "So, um, you don't know what a scissor sister is, Cloud? They ain't hairdressers, yo," Reno began, chuckling.

"Well, that's a dumb name, then," retorted Cloud, smirking. "If they're not hairdressers, then why'd they call themselves that?"

Reno, snickering, grabbed Cloud's laptop computer from his desk. "Let's Google it, yo," he said.

Sighing, Cloud reluctantly agreed. "Okay. We'll Google it, whatever. After you're done screwing around though, I'm going to order a pizza, I'm starving."

Rubbing his hands together somewhat manically as the laptop booted up, Reno cackled gleefully. "Oh, we'll Google it, all right," he chuckled.

Cloud just rolled his eyes skyward yet again. Sometimes Reno really, really exasperated him with his inability to get straight to the point.

"Mmkay, here it is, Cloud. Scissor sisters…says 'they took their name from a sexual position between two women known as tribadism.'

"Oh?" said Cloud, suddenly interested. "And what's tribadism?"

Reno clicked on the corresponding link, and snickered. "Well, Cloud, there it is. Fully illustrated, too!" he laughed.

Cloud moved in closer for a look at the webpage and gulped. "Um…wow. I didn't know that was…possible. That's pretty um…interesting." He took another swig of his beer.

"Huh,"Cloud mused, smiling slightly. "Well, that's not something you see every day. I wonder if dudes do that, too?" He winked at Reno.

Reno's eyebrows shot up several inches, and a huge grin broke out on his face. _Cloud just fucking winked at me. The hell?_ Reno thought. "Never thought you'd bring up the subject, Spikey. As a matter of fact…" he broke off.

"Hey, gimme that iPod, I'm gonna plug it into the stereo. Let's dance, Cloud!" said Reno.

"No, Reno," Cloud protested. "I don't dance. I can't dance, you know that."

"Oh shut the fuck up and dance with me, baby! How much clearer do I have to be, yo!" demanded Reno, grabbing Cloud and dragging him toward him.

The music started blaring, and Reno began singing again, loudly – and slightly offkey. _"She's my man, and we've got all the balls we neeeeed…,"_ crowed Reno, overly loud and intentionally off-key.

Cloud tried to fight it, but he couldn't help but start to laugh at Reno's somewhat theatrical singing, and he moved in closer…just a little bit closer, in the hopes of taking Reno by surprise. It worked. "Reno," he purred, sweeping his leg underneath both of Reno's, knocking him to the ground. Cloud quickly got Reno in a leg scissors, and sat atop him.

"So, that scissor thing…sounds interesting," Cloud said nonchalantly, with a sly glance at Reno, which erupted into a full smile.

Reno gulped. He was no longer the aggressor, and he wasn't sure if he liked that. _Ah, who the hell am I kidding_, thought Reno, breaking into a wicked grin,_ of course I do!_


	2. Pizza

_**So…I've had a couple of requests for a sequel/continuation of the previous chapter…and I'm having so much fun with it, how can I say no? **_

_**Summary: Continuation of "Google it, Yo" - Cloud and Reno take things a little bit further, but first...they order some pizza!**_

_**Lemons and yaoi ahead, you have been warned.**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Please read and review! xoxoxo**_

"About this scissor thing….," continued Cloud, lowering his head toward Reno's face. Reno was flat on his back, pinned by Cloud who was sitting atop him. Clearly Cloud had the upper hand at this point, but Reno's wheels were already turning, trying to think of a way to reverse their positions. _Literally,_ Reno thought, smiling.

Reno squinted up at Cloud, attempting to give him his 'seductive' look. "Well, Cloud….what about it? I mean, what do you want to know? You saw the uh, webpage illustration there, yo—"

"Reno, I think you should just stop talking right about now," said Cloud, cutting him off. Moving in even closer, he did something truly brazen and unexpected – and kissed Reno roughly.

"Mmmnpf!" Reno sputtered, completely caught off guard again. _Damn, Strife_, he thought, _I wasn't expecting that. At all. _Reno was still pinned to the floor, but he managed to roll Cloud to the side, and extricated himself long enough to free his arms. He pulled Cloud down toward him on the floor, crushing him to his chest, kissing him roughly, and clutching handfuls of blond spiked hair, which elicited an appreciative groan from Cloud.

They remained like that for several minutes, kissing roughly, hands groping everywhere, until they had to come up for breath. "Holy shit, Cloud," said Reno, panting. "I um….well, I was figuring I'd have to make the first move, yo. Guess you couldn't resist my charms, right?" he laughed.

Cloud smiled. "Ha. I knew you weren't expecting that, Reno. Which is exactly why I did it," he replied. Sitting back against the wall for a moment, Cloud sighed happily. "I've been wanting to do that for a while, actually," he admitted.

"Yeah?" replied Reno, looking thoughtful. "Never thought you had it in you, Cloud. But I'm glad you finally grew a set."

"You son of a bitch," replied Cloud, grinning. Reno reached his hand toward Cloud's face, caressing his cheek. Cloud pulled Reno's hand to his mouth, kissing and suckling on his fingers, which sent shivers directly into Reno's brain. "Hey, Reno?" began Cloud.

"Huh…what, Cloud?" replied Reno, somewhat dreamily.

"I'm still hungry…gonna order that pizza now. You want something?" Cloud asked.

"Dude! How can you think about food at a time like this, yo!" Reno exclaimed, just as his stomach growled. "Eh…well, I guess I'm hungry too. Get me some wings too, yo."

"Pizza and wings, got it," replied Cloud, grabbing his phone to place the order.

"I'll be in the bathroom, yo," Reno said absently, not waiting for an answer.

Shutting the door behind him, Reno splashed a bit of cold water on his face, and glanced at his reflection in the mirror_. Cloud caught me off guard_, he thought, shaking his head. _That turns me on even more!_ _Damn_…

His reverie was interrupted by a knock on the door, which made him start. "Turk!" bellowed Cloud. "Twenty minutes."

Opening the door, Reno smiled slyly at Cloud. "Twenty minutes for what, Cloud?" he said, smirking.

"Twenty minutes where we'll have nothing to do until the delivery guy shows up," answered Cloud. "Come on," he said, grabbing Reno and leading him toward the couch.

This evening was turning out to be one surprise after another, thought Reno. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Cloud to make the first move and initiate things_. Time to turn that shit around_, thought Reno, smiling wickedly. _I need to get Strife on his knees, begging me to 'please don't stop.'_ He smiled and chuckled softly at the mental image he was getting of this scenario.

"What's so funny?" asked Cloud.

"Ah, nothing," replied Reno offhandedly. _Heh, you'll see soon enough_, thought Reno. "You know…I've been waiting for this moment to happen, for the longest time," said Reno, as they both sat down on the couch. "It's about fucking time we made it happen."

"I agree," replied Cloud. "Hey, why don't we—" Cloud never finished the thought, Reno had moved in ever closer, grabbing him roughly, and ramming his tongue down Cloud's throat.

"Why don't we," said Reno breathlessly, his hand snaking around Cloud's backside and grabbing a handful of his muscular ass, "take this into the bedroom, yo."

Cloud nodded, ready to acquiesce, and then –

_The doorbell rang._

"Well, fuck!" exclaimed Reno. "Delivery boy's timing sucks, yo." Cloud muttered, "Yeah….actually, I had forgotten that I even ordered the damned thing."

Cloud got up from the couch – _walking with some difficulty_, noted Reno with a grin – grabbed his wallet off of the kitchen counter, and answered the door.

"How much is it kid," Cloud asked distractedly, while thumbing through his wallet for some bills. Looking up, his eyes widened in surprise when he noticed who it was. "Denzel!" exclaimed Cloud. "Um, what are you doing here – I mean, I didn't know you delivered pizzas now!"

"Yeah, well, Tifa doesn't pay me shit for washing dishes in the restaurant, ya know," replied Denzel , with an edge to his voice.

Reno, who by now had sidled up behind Cloud to see what was going on, remarked, "Nice fucking language there, kid. And, you dissing Tifa? What up with that, yo?"

"Yeah," agreed Cloud. "Tifa's done a lot for you…now tell me, what's going on with you?"

Denzel snorted. "Like you'd care, Cloud," he scoffed. "You left us, remember? Some role model you turned out to be."

"Hey," Cloud snapped, "I see you and Marlene all the time, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Tifa," Denzel replied evenly. "But I guess I can figure out now why you and she never worked out. Well," he continued, turning to leave, "um…enjoy your food."

Turning to Reno for a moment, Cloud said, "I need to talk to him for a minute. Back in a few," and closed the door behind him.

"Hold up, Denzel. First, I gotta pay you for the food here, said Cloud, thrusting some bills at Denzel. "Look, Denzel…I know you and Marlene are disappointed about me and Tifa—"

"Are you banging Reno?" Denzel interrupted. "I just want to know. If you are, well…I guess that's all I _need_ to know."

"Um, no, I am not 'banging Reno," replied Cloud. _Yet_, he thought, with a slight smile. "But we are kind of…seeing each other."

Denzel sighed. "Are you happy? " he asked. "I just want everyone to be happy. I just wish…that you and Tifa could have been happy together."

"Tifa is my best friend," Cloud told Denzel, trying his best to sound reassuring. "But…I don't have those kind of feelings for her. No matter how much she wants me to have those feelings, I can't pretend, you know? I'm sorry ."

"It's okay, I guess," replied Denzel. "Sorry I jumped down your throat, Cloud. See you for bowling on Sunday?"

"It's a plan," smiled Cloud. "See ya then."

Closing the door behind him, and carrying the pizza and wings, Cloud glanced at Reno, who was standing with arms folded, one eyebrow cocked toward him, with a quizzical look on his face.

"So? What's up with the kid?" asked Reno.

"Eh, I don't know," sighed Cloud. "Well, actually, I do know…I just don't want to talk about now. Maybe later. Let's eat."

Reno was fine with this plan of action, since he wanted to tear through his food, and then move things back into the bedroom. He went into Cloud's kitchen to grab more beers from the refrigerator. "Yo, Cloud," said Reno. "Got any hot sauce?"

"Hot sauce?" answered Cloud. "Yeah, but what for? You got wings, those are already spicy."

"Dude, I put it on my pizza, yo!" Reno replied. "Now where is it?" he asked, opening up the cabinets one by one.

"Right there," Cloud indicated the cabinet next to the sink. "That's the only one I've got."

Reno grabbed the bottle and headed over to the counter, where there were barstools lining the length of it. Reading off the label, he chortled. "_Nuclear Assfire_ hot sauce, Cloud?" Reno laughed. "Oh, this is going to be some good shit, yo." Reno uncorked the bottle of hot sauce and began sprinkling it all over the slice of pizza he had grabbed from the box.

"Gods, Reno," Cloud observed, "you're using a shit ton of that hot sauce!"

Reno cackled. "Guess I just like things spicy, yo," he replied, winking at Cloud.

With that, Cloud and Reno sat down and started practically inhaling their food. "Goddamn, Cloud," said Reno between mouthfuls, "I guess I was hungry!"

Slamming back the rest of his beer, Cloud responded with a loud belch. "Um, yup. Me too," he grinned. "That was good. So, um…what now?" Cloud said, blushing slightly

"Hmm. What now, indeed, Cloud," he purred, as his hand slid up Cloud's thigh, grabbing his bulge. "What now indeed…" Reno nuzzled against Cloud's neck, dragging him off of the barstool, and toward the bedroom. Cloud did nothing to discourage this, and slipped his hand inside the back of Reno's pants, grabbing and squeezing.

"Yeah. That's what I'm talking about, Cloud," encouraged Reno. "Feels so good….you and me, like this," he mumbled.

Reaching the bedroom, the pair collapsed on Cloud's bed, and Reno began nuzzling against Cloud's neck again, biting, licking, and nipping. It was driving Cloud wild…he then ripped Reno's shirt clean off, buttons flying everywhere. "Damn, Cloud," Reno laughed. "My best shirt!"

Cloud smirked, then gasped when he felt Reno's hand wandering down the front of his pants. He made quick work of Cloud's belt and pants, yanking them down deftly and discarding them on the floor. "Let me…do this, Cloud," Reno pleaded, looking up at Cloud with his almost alarmingly blue eyes , as he made his way down Cloud's torso, peppering it with licks and kisses.

Saying nothing, but nodding in agreement to Reno and laying back on the bed, Cloud's mind was racing. _This is the first time a guy's gone down on me_, mused Cloud_. I wonder how much…experience Reno has. Gods, his eyes are beautiful_…_so beautiful._ Cloud's thoughts trailed off into nothingness as he felt Reno's warm, wet mouth on his hardened erection.

_Mmm, that feels so hot_, thought Cloud. _That feels…ow….wait…too hot…burning…burning…."_

"OhmyfuckinggodsReno! Stoppppp!" yelled Cloud. "STOP, goddammit!"

Reno, taken aback, and a little miffed, relented. "What now, Cloud? Is it my technique? You know I have like, zero experience with this," he huffed.

_Zero experience? Hmm_, Cloud mused briefly. "Nooooooo Reno, it's not that!" yelled Cloud, who by this time had run into the bathroom adjoining his bedroom, and was throwing himself in the shower . "You and your goddamned hot sauce! You ate so much of it on your pizza, and now it's all on _me_! I have third degree burns on my dick now!" Cloud moaned.

_Oh shit_, Reno thought. He felt bad, but still, he was stifling a laugh. "Shit, Cloud," he said sheepishly. "I'm sorry. You know, the shower might not help, though. They say water makes the burn worse, you should like, drink a glass of milk or something, yo," Reno shrugged.

Cloud glared at him. "I didn't EAT the hot sauce, you did. Should I stick my dick in a glass of milk, then?" he snapped.

Reno didn't answer, but left the bathroom and headed toward the kitchen, grinning wickedly.


	3. Ice Cream

Reno, grinning wickedly, had but one thing on his mind as he headed to the kitchen. Well, he had several things on his mind – namely, things he wanted to do to Cloud, but they were all tied together. Collecting his thoughts as best he could, Reno continued on to the kitchen, and opened the freezer door. "Ha. Just what I was looking for," he crowed. "Now…I wonder if Cloud has the other stuff I need here…hmm," mused Reno, as he began rummaging through cabinets and drawers.

Meanwhile, Cloud was still feeling the burn, although it was becoming slightly less painful with the cold water of the shower hitting it. "I'm gonna kill Reno," he groaned. "Just when things were starting to get good, too…man." Cloud decided he would try to towel off, and relax as best as he could, after this unfortunate turn of events. Clad in only his bath towel, Cloud made his way back into the bedroom, and lay himself down on his bed. "Reno!" he called distractedly. "I'm going to take a nap, okay? Sorry," he mumbled.

"Oh Cloouuuuuud?" purred Reno. "I got somethin' for ya. No, don't get up," he insisted. "Just um….lay back down. Look," Reno continued, gazing into Cloud's brilliant blue eyes, "I wanna make it up to you. That just…well, it didn't go quite the way we wanted it to, did it?"

"Ha. Yeah, I'll say," Cloud laughed dryly. "Reno, don't worry about it, really. I'm not going to say it could have happened to anyone, because this seems like the kind of shit that would only happen to _you_. Or me," he chuckled.

"Very funny, Cloud," smirked Reno. "Well, you gotta admit – life with me is anything but boring!" He laid down next to Cloud, trailing his fingers down over his collarbone and chest, which elicited a gasp from Cloud.

"Still, I feel bad, yo," Reno began. "Baby, let me make it up to you. Please?" he pleaded.

Cloud softened a bit, and smiled at Reno. He couldn't resist Reno sweet talking him, or those crystal blue eyes of his. "Okay…what did you have in mind?" Cloud inquired innocently.

Reno reached behind him, grabbing a swatch of fabric. "First, I need to blindfold you. It's a surprise, after all," winked Reno.

Cloud grimaced ever so slightly. "Reno…nothing too crazy, okay? I've had enough…surprises for one evening, don't you think?"

"Yeah, but this is a good surprise, yo," smiled Reno. "It'll help with the burn, I promise!"

Somewhat reluctantly, Cloud agreed. "Okay, Reno," Cloud sighed. "I'm only letting you do this because I love you," he blurted. _Oh my gods, what the fuck did I just say?_ "I mean, um…" Cloud stuttered, "you know, I….uh….care about you, and stuff." He proceeded to turn several shades of crimson.

"You…you…what?" Reno stammered, obviously taken aback. "Gods, Cloud, I didn't know you felt the same way," he continued, blinking back a tear. "Cloud, I….I love you too. I think I always have." Cloud reached out and silently brushed away Reno's tear. The gesture touched something deep inside Reno, something he had for so long, thought was dead.

The two sat there staring at each other, silently, for what seemed like eons, but it was only a minute or two. "Oh Cloud…thank you," said Reno, cupping Cloud's chin and kissing him roughly. "Thank you for…you."

"Reno," Cloud breathed heavily, kissing him back. He suddenly seemed to realize that he was still only clad in a bath towel. "Um…what about that surprise, eh?" asked Cloud.

"Oh yeah," laughed Reno. "I guess we got sidetracked, yo. We'll talk more later about this, okay? Now…the blindfold. Put it on, Strife," Reno commanded.

"Yes, sir," Cloud replied mockingly. He adjusted the silk scarf so it was covering his eyes…but noted that he could still see a tiny sliver of light toward the bottom of the blindfold.

Reno snapped the overhead light off. _Shit_, thought Cloud. _Now I really can't see. What is Reno up to now…oh gods…_

"Heh…just relax, Cloud," Reno tried to sound assuring. "I swear this will be nothing like…before."

"Better not be," retorted Cloud. "And if it is, I'm gonna kick you in the face. Don't say I didn't warn you." Cloud was smiling, in spite of trying to sound tough with Reno. _Gods_, thought Cloud_, I can't believe I just said that to Reno. I mean, it just came out, just like that….and goddess knows I've never worn my heart on my sleeve. Damn…_ Cloud's thoughts trailed off into a pleasant daze, as he tried to relax on the bed.

Meanwhile, Reno had taken position kneeling in between Cloud's legs. "Get ready, yo," warned Reno. "You just gotta trust me!" Cloud nodded silently, and Reno took this as his cue to do whatever he wanted. The very thought made him smile again.

Reno grabbed a container he had brought into the bedroom, and scooped something very cold out of it. Then, he gently spooned the frosty substance onto Cloud's already hardened erection. "Shit!" exclaimed Cloud, upon feeling the sensation. "Reno….is that ice cream?" he demanded.

"Um..maybe?" grinned Reno. "I figured it was time for dessert…and you could cool your jets for a bit, too. Literally," he cackled. "Oh, and Cloud?"

"Y-y-yes?" answered Cloud, teeth chattering.

"I'm not gonna use a spoon, yo," replied Reno, as he descended toward his 'dessert' with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Cloud gasped as he felt the dueling sensations of the freezing ice cream, and Reno's heated breath and tongue lapping it up. "Ohhh," Cloud moaned, arching his back. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out, Reno was absolutely torturing him with his hungry licks. Then he absolutely lost it as Reno, having lapped up all of the ice cream, grabbed Cloud's shaft and deep-throated him, stroking up and down as he did so_. Like hell he's never done this before_, thought Cloud, groaning. "Reno, I'm gonna….auuggh…!"

"I know, baby, I know…give it up, I'm here to take it," encouraged Reno.

"You're going to….swallow?" Cloud said quizzically, panting. _This guy is just full of surprises_, mused Cloud.

"Um, I guess so. First time for everything, right Spikey?" laughed Reno. "Come on, Cloud, come on…" Reno continued, as he quickened his strokes.

"What do you think I'm doooooing….ahhh!" yelled Cloud as he reached his climax and shot his load, directly into Reno's mouth.

_Holy shit_, thought Reno. _Um…it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Salty, yet satisfying. _

Reno straightened himself up, kneeling over Cloud, and smiled down at him. He gulped, a bit more loudly than necessary, to let Cloud know that he had, in fact, swallowed. A triumphant grin lit his face. He crawled up to lie beside Cloud, who was smiling contentedly. Reno kissed Cloud tenderly on the cheek. "So…was it good for you?" Reno asked, grinning slyly.

"What the hell do you think?" asked Cloud, smiling back. "I practically came all over your face. Yeah, I'd say I'm pretty satisfied," Cloud laughed. Turning on his side to face Reno, Cloud cupped his arm around the Turk's waist. He ran his hand up Reno's back, and leaned in to pepper kisses over Reno's collarbone.

Reno gasped, "That is…my most sensitive spot, how did you know? Well," he corrected himself, "not my _most_ sensitive spot. But definitely one of them."

Cloud smiled at Reno, and kissed him deeply, grabbing him by the hair and crushing his face into his. "So," said Cloud, coming up for air. "Guess it's your turn now, huh?"

Reno cocked an eyebrow at Cloud. "You sure you're up for it? I thought I wore you out just now," he cackled.

Cloud smirked back at Reno. "Oh, I'm up for it, all right," he said, poking his stiffened penis up against Reno's crotch. "First, let's get you out of these pants, hmm?" Cloud said, already unbuckling Reno's belt.

_Fuck yeah_, thought Reno, with a huge smile on his face. _This is going to be a long night…I hope Cloud and I will be able to walk tomorrow. Or maybe I don't? _He laughed out loud.

"What's so funny?" inquired Cloud.

"Uh, nothing," replied Reno. "Um…I'll tell you later." Reno continued to smile, eager to see what Cloud was going to do to him, while at the same time, never wanting this night to end.


	4. Tequila

**Finally! Some major lemons ahead. Yay!**

**I think this (and the next chapter which will be up SOON) is my most graphic yaoi lemon yet, hopefully it doesn't get deleted! **

**Please read, review and enjoy. xoxoxo**

* * *

Both Reno and Cloud had settled back on the bed, Reno laying his head on Cloud's chest, his long fingers lazily stroking the flesh of Cloud's chest and shoulder. His pants were still undone as Cloud had left them, Reno's erection pointing into Cloud's thigh somewhat impatiently, feeling every slight movement. Cloud was more than eager- and ready - to attend to Reno's "problem", but Cloud was surprised when Reno requested a 'bit of a cuddle.' How could he refuse? _Of course I couldn't refuse that request_, thought Cloud_, especially when Reno bats those gorgeous blue eyes at me._

Cloud smiled contentedly. _This just feels so right_, he thought. He ran his fingers through Reno's unruly red locks, loosening the ever-present ponytail. Reno cocked an eyebrow at Cloud, smirking. "You really want me to let my hair down, yo, don't you?" he joked.

"I love your hair," Cloud replied softly. "It's…beautiful, Reno."

Reno actually blushed at this; nobody had ever called his wild mop of red hair "beautiful" before. Sighing, he hugged Cloud around the waist tightly, and said, "Wow…Cloud, you know I've….never felt this way before. About anyone, male or female," he laughed. "Although," he added, "this is…um…the first time I've ever been with a guy."

"Me too," admitted Cloud. "And I've never felt this way about anyone either." He chuckled. "Imagine that – two guys our age, never been in love before…and look at us now." Cloud kissed the top of Reno's head as he said this.

"You've…never been in love, Cloud, really?" Reno asked. " Not even with—" he didn't want to finish the sentence, but damn it, the thought was already out there – "Tifa?"

Cloud sighed heavily. "Tifa," he said simply. "No. Not even with Tifa," Cloud continued. "I tried to make it work with her, but I couldn't. I didn't have the same feelings toward her, that she did toward me…Tifa loved the boy she grew up with…really, she was in love with but a memory. And I couldn't live up to that, I've…changed a lot in the past several years."

He sighed again, holding Reno tightly to his chest. "I will never," he said seriously," ever, forget what Tifa did for me – helping me find myself again, so to speak, that time in the Lifestream. It kills me that I broke her heart…but the truth is, she never _had_ my heart." Cloud cupped Reno's chin and tilted it upward to him. "But you, Reno…you have my heart. I think you had it all along." He kissed Reno on the lips, slowly and tenderly.

Reno felt tears sparking at the corners of his eyes, which surprised him; he had never felt this depth of emotion toward anyone before, not ever. "I love you, Cloud," he said quietly. "I can't believe this is happening, it feels like a dream, yo."

"I love you too, Reno," Cloud replied, smiling. "But it's no dream. The longer we lay around here though, we _may _fall asleep…and I'm not about to let you do that."

"Why not?" demanded Reno. He could think of nothing better than waking up in his new lover's arms, and staring into those Mako-enhanced blue eyes first thing in the morning.

"Because," Cloud said slowly and deliberately, "I have something I want to do to you."

Reno immediately snapped out of his languor. "Oh? What might that be, Cloud?" he asked flirtatiously. He felt his shaft getting harder again with anticipation, wondering just what Cloud wanted to do to him.

"Hmm, I guess you'll have to wait and see, Reno," teased Cloud. "But I know one thing – I'm going to make you come harder than you made me come."

"What is this, some kind of competition?" chuckled Reno. "I like the idea of that, yo. That's a race I'd never get tired of trying to come in first. Pun intended, yo," he hooted at his own joke.

Cloud laughed. "Um, it's not a race, Reno….merely a promise," he said firmly, smiling. Reno raised his eyebrows a bit, but grinned at Cloud's bravado. _This is not the same guy I met all those years ago_, thought Reno. _He's sure of himself now, knows exactly who he is. And thank Gaia for that._

"Um…what's this over here?" Cloud asked Reno, indicating several jars on the end table next to the bed.

"Oh shit!" groaned Reno. "That's um….caramel sauce. And that one is…cherries. I was going to make a sundae on you, but I…forgot about all the toppings," he said sheepishly.

Cloud fell back on the bed and began shaking with laughter. "You were going to make an entire sundae on my dick?" Cloud giggled. "I love that! Wouldn't that have gotten…sticky though?" he smiled.

"It probably would have gotten a bit messy," Reno admitted. "I just like caramel sundaes, yo."

"And a cherry on top? Where's the whipped cream?" Cloud teased.

"You didn't HAVE any in your fridge, genius," Reno retorted, smiling. "I could have run out to get some, but you probably would have been pissed if I ran out of here and left you blindfolded. "

"Well, maybe I can find some use for that stuff later," Cloud mused. "In the meantime….you, stay right there, I'll be back in just a minute. " Cloud sprang up from the bed, leaving his now-discarded bath towel behind him. He jogged out of the bedroom, not really noticing or caring about his complete lack of clothing. Reno, however, noticed, leering at Cloud's muscular buttocks as he exited the room. "That ass is mine," Reno said to himself, smiling.

"What, Reno?" came Cloud's voice from the other room.

"Erm, nothing Cloud," yelled Reno. "Just talking to myself, yo."

"Okay," said Cloud, as he entered the bedroom . "Now…just lay back Reno. I'm going to have some tequila," he said, indicating the bottle of Patron he held in his hand.

"Oooh, tequila shooters, yo," said Reno excitedly. "Lick it, slam it, suck it! Dude, where's the lime and the shot glasses, yo?"

Cloud smiled wickedly. "Well, you didn't need a spoon for the ice cream…I don't need a shot glass for my booze," he replied. He then uncorked the bottle of tequila and poured it over Reno's abdomen, concentrating it in his navel. "That shit is cold, Cloud!" gasped Reno.

"I know," said Cloud, lowering his mouth toward the tequila that was now collected in Reno's navel. "I keep it in the fridge. I'm surprised you didn't swipe it when you were building your sundae before," he said, laughing. Snaking his tongue toward the booze, Cloud slurped up every drop, which made Reno even harder. Cloud immediately grabbed the bottle to pour another shot.

"Wait, yo," groaned Reno, "what are you doing to me? Goddamn tease."

"It's called foreplay, Reno," chuckled Cloud.

"Okay, okay…I see your point," conceded Reno. "But I thought you liked beer, why tequila now?"

Nuzzling into Reno's neck, Cloud ran a tongue along Reno's earlobe and whispered, "Because…when I drink tequila, I become incredibly horny."

"Then by all means," encouraged Reno, "Mas tequila!"

Cloud poured the next shot over Reno's navel, but this time going a bit lower. He emptied the entire bottle, which amounted to about a shot and a half. "Well, this ain't no fucking good anymore," Cloud said to the empty bottle, and chucked it out the doorway, eliciting a giggle from Reno. "And we don't need these, either," he said, yanking off Reno's pants and boxers, and throwing them toward the wall.

Descending downward once again, Cloud licked up all the tequila he had poured out, running his tongue downward toward Reno's shaft. He teased the head with the tip of his tongue, causing Reno to arch his back and moan in ecstasy, clawing at the bedsheets.

"Holy fuck," groaned Reno, gyrating his hips. "Oh, Cloud, you are fucking teasing me, yo!" _Just suck me off! _Reno's brain practically screamed.

Smiling, Cloud twirled his tongue around Reno's erect member, slowly – then, he rapidly thrust his mouth downward, ramming it onto Reno and deep-throating him. He began stroking Reno up and down as his tongue worked its ministrations, their pulses both quickening. Cloud felt Reno suddenly tense up, but didn't slow down.

"Cloud…oh Cloud…I'm gonna lose it, I'm—" Reno never finished the thought, as he ejaculated into Cloud's mouth. "Mmmnph," Cloud grunted, gulping greedily. Glancing up at Reno, who was laying there pretty much speechless, Cloud grinned. "Um…you okay, Reno?" he asked.

"Uh…yeah. I'm okay," Reno replied robotically. Recovering himself slightly, he exclaimed, "Shit, Cloud! Where the fuck did you learn how to do that?"

"Umm…instinct, I guess?" laughed Cloud. "I guess I know what I like, and well. ...I reversed it. I don't know. I could say the same about you, you know," he continued.

"Huh? Wha?" Reno mumbled absentmindedly. "Same what?"

"Never mind," Cloud said, grinning. "Guess I tired you out." Pulling on his boxer shorts, Cloud leaned back on the bed, looking fairly pleased with himself and his performance

Opening one eye, which focused on Cloud, nearly glaring at him, Reno retorted, "Tired me out, huh? I don't think so, Spikey." Turning toward Cloud, Reno ran his fingers through the blond spiked hair, and gave Cloud an almost evil grin.

"Ready for round three, Cloud?" inquired Reno, kissing Cloud on the forehead.

_Round three?_ pondered Cloud. _Damn. __There is no fucking way I'm going to make it into work tomorrow. And I don't care._

* * *

**Well, this has progressed from a one-shot into...twue wuve. /princess bride. Aww! Yeah, maybe they're moving a wee bit fast with the ILU's, but in my filthy little mind they've been lusting after each other for years, even when they 'hated' each other. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. =)**

**I've got chapter 5 nearly done too - was going to put it all in one chapter, but it's biggish, so I split it up. Stay tuned! Chapter 5 has another lemon! But no more tequila, Cloud drank it all. :*(**


	5. Sunrise

**I do not own Depeche Mode or any of their songs; lyrics are used here just to set the mood. Nor do I own Austin Powers, but I kind of ganked/paraphrased a bit in here too. :)**

* * *

The two of them sat there in silence for a bit. "So, uh….how does this work, Reno?" Cloud inquired innocently. "Am I the…top? Or the….bottom?" he asked, blushing a deep crimson.

Reno smiled at how embarrassed Cloud was in asking his question, but the truth was, he had no idea what the hell he was doing either, it was the first time for both. As Cloud had said earlier, "instinct." Instinct had served them pretty well so far this evening, so Reno was inclined to trust in it yet again.

"Right," said, Reno. "Um, well, I don't really know, yo," stammered Reno, a bit nervously. "But uh…I'm taller than you, so maybe…?" He left the sentence unfinished, hoping Cloud would see where he was going with his train of thought.

"So you want me on the bottom, is that it?" smiled Cloud. "I think I can do that."

Still on the bed and facing each other, Reno and Cloud froze. "Um, Cloud?" began Reno. "For some reason, I'm really fucking nervous about this. Funny," he laughed, "I wasn't nervous about giving you a blowjob, but this? I just hope I don't…hurt you, or anything."

"Well, we'll just go slow," assured Cloud. "It'll be fine."

With that, Reno moved toward Cloud and nuzzled his neck, parting his legs with his knee. Cloud groaned as he felt Reno's erect member rubbing up against his own. It so excited him that he was afraid he was going to lose his concentration and come prematurely. _Think of something unsexy_, Cloud thought to himself, while Reno kissed him deeply, snaking his tongue into Cloud's mouth. _Cold showers…baseball….yes, think about baseball….no, wait, __**Heidegger naked on a cold day! Heidegger naked on a cold day! **_Cloud's brain screamed in an attempt to gain control of his dick, which seemed to suddenly have a mind of its own.

He couldn't help it. Cloud burst out laughing at this last thought, which stopped Reno cold. "Cloud….what is going on?" demanded Reno icily. "I know you're nervous, yo, but you don't have to titter like a fucking schoolgirl."

"No, Reno, I'm sorry," gasped Cloud, still laughing uproariously. "I was about to…lose it, you know, in that way, and I didn't WANT to, so I forced myself to think of something grotesquely unsexy."

"What'd you think of, then?" sneered Reno. "Barret in drag?"

Cloud guffawed. "No, but that's pretty fucking funny. I'll have to use that one another time."

"Look, babe," said Reno, changing the subject, "I know you're nervous…I am too! I'll figure out a way to relax us both." Reno began humming distractedly, then began to softly sing into Cloud's ear:

_The way you move  
Has got me yearning  
The way you move  
Has left me burning..._

Cloud looked up at Reno, with a shocked look on his face. "Reno?" Cloud began. "I had no idea you could sing so well…you know, Reno, you have a really nice voice when you're not screwing around," he smiled.

"Sing more for me, please," Cloud pleaded shyly.

Reno laughed. "I'm a karaoke champion, yo," he smiled. "Yeah, I've been singing forever. Just one of those things, you know? But I'm glad you like it, Cloud," he said smiling, cupping Cloud's chin toward his and leaning in for a kiss.

Changing keys, Reno continued to sing softly and seductively in Cloud's ear:

_I know you know what you're doing to me  
I know my hands will never be free  
I know what it's like to be in chains_

_The way you move_  
_Is meant to haunt me_  
_The way you move_  
_To tempt and taunt me..._

"Mmm, Reno," mumbled Cloud. "Not only am I relaxed now, but… I am incredibly fucking turned on."

Reno took that as his cue that Cloud was ready, but he still felt the need to make sure. "Um, Cloud…I'm ready for this if you are," Reno said seriously. "Maybe we should use some lube, yo."

"Oh yeah, I've got some," Cloud replied. "It's in the table on your side of the bed, top drawer."

"Hey, that's where I keep mine too," laughed Reno. "Great minds…"

Turning over, Reno wrenched the drawer open hurriedly, and fished around for the tube. "This it?" Reno inquired, holding up a small tube with a suspiciously familiar logo on the side. "Shit, ShinRa makes lube now too? Good Gaia." He groaned.

Cloud nodded. Reno opened up the tube and squirted a bit on his fingers. "Okay Cloud. Pretend I'm the proctologist…" Reno joked.

"No!" Cloud protested, laughing. "I don't think so."

"Just kidding, yo," Reno giggled. "Trying to get you to relax some more."

"By mentioning the ass doctor, that's going to help me relax?" Cloud retorted. "That's brilliant," he laughed.

Ignoring Cloud's last remark, Reno's hand kept searching upwards, fumbling past Cloud's balls, which he fondled briefly before moving on_. Damn, that guy has no body hair anywhere_, Reno noted absentmindedly. Finally his fingers reached their ultimate goal, and Reno generously slathered the lubricant up into Cloud's tight hole, making him gasp. Reno squirted more lube onto his erect shaft, moaning as he did so. _Oh yeah, I'm ready, all right_, he thought.

Reno moved toward Cloud and straddled him, as he was already lying on his back. He leaned down, smiling and thanking Gaia for this beautiful man who was lying beneath him. "I'm more than ready," he whispered, angling his erect penis toward Cloud's tight opening. _Here goes nothing_, thought Reno, and thrusted into Cloud. Cloud opened his legs further apart, moaning as he did so, "Deeper Reno…harder…faster…." Cloud commanded, grunting. He was peaking, holding out as long as he could before he ultimately reached his climax, but Cloud didn't know how much longer he could avoid the inevitable.

"You don't have to tell me twice to go harder," Reno panted in response to Cloud, quickening his pace, slamming into Cloud furiously, causing Cloud to buck and cry out.

Cloud groaned and writhed as Reno's length filled him completely. "Fuck!" he exclaimed. "I'm gonna—Reno—I'm gonna—oh gods…"

"Ugh, me too, Cloud—" interrupted Reno. "Oh shit, Cloud!" Reno gasped as he emptied his load into Cloud. Moments later, Cloud's entire body stiffened as he came, pulling Reno down onto him, into a tight embrace. "Reno," he panted, "Gods, Reno, that was…incredible." Cloud stroked his fingers lazily through Reno's hair, which was by now completely loosed from its ponytail, clinging to Reno's sweat-glazed back.

"Wow," said Reno, rolling onto his side again and gazing lovingly at Cloud. "Just…wow. I don't know what else to say, yo!"

"Then sing to me, Reno," Cloud smiled. "That song you were singing before…I liked it. I want to hear more," he pleaded.

Reno smiled, more than happy to oblige his lover with a song. Idly stroking Cloud's cheek, Reno hummed until he reached the correct key, and began to sing softly to Cloud, staring into his Mako eyes as he did so.

_You've got me dying for you  
It's you that I'm living through  
You've got me praying to you  
Saying to you anything you want me to_

_You've got me reaching for you  
My soul's beseeching me too  
You've got me singing to you  
Bringing to you anything you ask me to…_

Reno looked up at the window, noting the color of the sky, which had suddenly brightened. "Holy SHIT, Cloud," exclaimed Reno. "The sun is fucking rising. We've been at it all night?" he said incredulously.

Craning his neck toward the window, Cloud looked out and saw that, much to his surprise, the sky was catching pink and gold as the sun bobbed up, breaching the horizon. "Um, I guess we should get some sleep?" Cloud said bemusedly. "Damn." He yawned, suddenly realizing he hadn't slept in about twenty hours.

Reno followed suit, yawning right after Cloud did. "That shit is contagious, yo," laughed Reno. Sleep was threatening to take over, for both of them. Today was a Friday, Reno was expected in the office by 9:00, but of course he was never on time anyway. Tseng would be suspicious if he suddenly started arriving promptly for work, anyway. _I'm tired, man_, Reno thought sleepily. _It wouldn't be totally out of character if I was a few hours late, _he reasoned with himself._ Just gonna take a catnap, yo. _

As if reading Reno's mind, Cloud mumbled wearily, "I'm taking today off. Too tired. Stay with me?"

Reno nodded. "I ain't going anywhere," he said sleepily, as Cloud laid his head on Reno's chest.

"Sing summore," Cloud begged Reno, half asleep.

"K," answered Reno, who was fading quickly into oblivion. "I'll finish the song…and sing us to sleep." He closed his eyes, and began to sing the last verse:

_The way you move  
Is mesmerizing  
The way you move  
Is hypnotizing_

_I know I crumble when you are around_  
_Start to mumble a bit of a false sound_  
_Straggle, stumble, shackled and bound in chains_

_In chains, I'm in chains_  
_In chains, I'm in chains…_

With the last note, Reno sighed contentedly, and he and Cloud soon both fell into a deep sleep, neither one of them moving much at all for the next twelve hours.

* * *

**And they lived happily ever after! Aww. Well, this might be a good place to end this little fic, seems like a good stopping point – unless I get requests/suggestions to continue it further, I'm definitely open to that.**

**A/N: The song quoted herein is "In Chains" by Depeche Mode. I was listening to this song earlier today, and for some reason it just seemed to me like it was the perfect song for Cloud and Reno, at least for the purposes of this fic, anyway. **

**If you haven't heard it ever, just download it, it's a buck-twenty-nine and well worth it! Even if you don't LIKE DM, just listen to it….it's one of those songs that makes you wanna **_**unf unf unf**_**…well, you get the idea. =)**


	6. Afternoon Delight

**Yay! I'm back, with at **_**least**_** a few more chapters. ****I simply don't want this story to end! **

**Thanks to Princess Turk for encouraging me to continue, and thanks to the plot bunnies in my head that won't STFU. XD **

**I'm also having a bit of writer's block on a few of my other fics in progress, but not on this one…so, why fight the muse, I figure. **

* * *

The sun was rising, and Tifa Lockhart was awake well before it made its first appearance on the horizon, casting a pink and orange glow through the clouds. _You can almost see Mt. Nibel from here_, she thought, smiling, as she gazed out the window. Thinking of her hometown of Nibelheim, Tifa's thoughts automatically shifted to Cloud. _Wonder where he is_, she mused.

The two were close friends, although Cloud had moved out of his second floor apartment over the restaurant, and into his own place a few months prior. Tifa took this all in stride – for some time now, she knew, that despite her best efforts, there was no romantic future in the cards for she and Cloud. Initially devastated by this realization, Tifa finally came to realize that there was no point in grieving over something that never was, and never would come to be.

With her usual plucky determination, Tifa had quickly pulled herself out of her funk, and moved on. And now she was worried about how much Cloud was worrying over _her_. She laughed at the very irony of the situation. She and Cloud had tried the boyfriend/girlfriend thing; but it was nothing at all like Tifa had fantasized about. It was clumsy and awkward; almost like dating….your brother.

The day came where Cloud finally told Tifa that he loved her, but _not in that way_, and that he'd be moving out to his own apartment. Tears were shed on both sides, but Tifa honestly knew, in her heart of hearts, that this would have been the outcome anyway. She just wanted both of them to be happy, and she knew that forcing themselves to be a happy couple was not the way towards a positive future.

Tifa was about to open her diner, the well-known and popular Seventh Heaven, for the breakfast crowd. She turned her attention to making several pots of coffee. Tifa was starting to enjoy the breakfast shift more than Seventh Heaven's popular happy hour; she liked the idea of her customers starting their day with her, and getting a good meal before they went about their days. Sometimes she'd wonder what their days ended up being like; did they have a good day at work, or at school? Tifa liked thinking that her breakfast patrons at least started their days on a good note, at her restaurant. Each dawn brought a new beginning—another reason Tifa was such a morning person. Besides that, dealing with the drunks who only showed up for the free appetizers during happy hour was getting…old.

As she wiped down the counters, Tifa heard the door open, the tinkling chimes hung there cheerily indicating a visitor. _Funny_, she thought_, I don't remember unlocking the door_. "Who's there?" she called. Tifa then saw who it was, her face lighting up with a smile upon recognition. "Hi babe," she called to the man who was standing there. "Um…and just how did you get in?" she demanded saucily, hands on her hips, grinning.

"I have my ways," Rude replied, smiling. "I'm a Turk, after all." Tifa, giggling, jumped over the counter and ran over to Rude; she threw herself at him, hugging him furiously and wrapping her legs around his waist. Rude cupped Tifa's buttocks, returning the embrace, and greeted her with a slow and sensual kiss. "Morning," Tifa said breathily. "I missed you!"

"Missed you too," replied Rude, sweeping a tendril of Tifa's chestnut hair, from where it had fallen over her left eye. "So…is today the day?" he asked. Tifa extricated herself from Rude, and went behind the counter to get both of them a coffee.

Tifa nodded positively. "Yes. Today's the day that we tell Cloud about…us." She smiled. "It's not like it's this huge secret either, I just….oh, I don't know. Cloud is very _protective_, you know," she said, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"I think," said Rude cryptically, as he read a text off of his cell phone, "you'll find that Cloud is otherwise distracted at the moment," he chuckled.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Rude?" Tifa asked absently, as she worked her way around the restaurant, setting out silverware.

Rude smiled. "I mean this," he said, calling up the text on his cell phone, and showing the display to Tifa.

"Oh," Tifa replied, eyes widening as she read it. "_Oh!_" She giggled. "Maybe this won't be so difficult after all then, huh Rude?"

Rude merely chuckled, pocketing his cell phone.

* * *

It wasn't until midafternoon when Reno finally stirred. Something had woken him from his deep sleep, some sort of sound…._Ah, shit_, Reno realized glancing at the table next to him, _it's my cell phone. Another incoming text, probably from Rude_, he thought. Reno yawned and decided to ignore it, for now, seeing as Cloud was still asleep in his arms. The redheaded Turk looked down at the angelic looking form of Cloud, and grinned, as if smiling at his own good fortune.

Reno suddenly felt like he needed a smoke, and tried, as quietly as possible, to reach over to the bedside table to reach his cigarettes. He gingerly extricated his arm from where it was cradled around Cloud's sleeping form, taking care so as not to disturb him. Cloud grumbled and shifted in his sleep upon feeling the movement. _Shit_, Reno thought_. I don't want to wake him up….Gaia, I could stare at him for hour, just sleeping like that. Like an angel._

"Reno, " Cloud mumbled sleepily. "You 'wake?" Cloud yawned, and wrapped his arm around Reno's torso, giving it a squeeze. "Morning, my love," he said.

Smiling, Reno kissed the top of Cloud's head, and said, laughing, "Um, babe? It's not quite morning." He indicated the time display on his cell phone, pointing to it. "It's um….nearing the dinner hour, actually."

"Shit, really!" exclaimed Cloud, sitting up in bed suddenly. "I can't believe I slept that long…I have a headache. Reno?"

"Yeah, babe?" Reno replied lazily.

"What about Tseng? He's going to be pissed if you just blew off work today," Cloud worried.

"Nah, don't worry about it, Cloud," assured Reno. "Rude covered for me, yo. That last text was from him, actually, wondering where the hell I was."

Cloud, wrapping his arms a bit tighter around Reno, smiled. "So…did you tell him? About us?" He blushed slightly as he asked the question.

"Well, I didn't go into graphic detail, yo," laughed Reno. "But, um….Rude knew I was going to your place last night…and he knows I'm still here, so….Rude's a bright guy, I'm sure he'll put two and two together."

Cloud looked up at Reno and squinted. "So…just how much do you confide in Rude, eh? How much have you…told him….about us?" he asked.

Reno blushed in spite of himself, and admitted, "I did tell Rude I had the hots for you, Cloud, so….yeah. I'm guessing he's figured things out already." Reno frowned, and cupping Cloud's chin, turned his face upward to look at him. "You're not…wanting to hide our relationship, are you, Cloud?" Reno asked, sounding concerned.

_Relationship_, Cloud thought, with a smile. _I like the sound of that_. Shaking his head vehemently, Cloud replied, "No! Nothing like that, Reno. I was just curious." Pausing for a moment, Cloud thought for a moment. "No," he continued, "I was just thinking…I need to tell Tifa about us, Reno. Even if it hurts her…I hope it doesn't, but you know, I fucked with her head enough in the past…I don't want to put her through that again…"

"Don't worry, Cloud," Reno said reassuringly. "I know how close you and Tifa are. Hey," he said brightening, "Want to go see her now? If we leave soon, we can be in time for happy hour at Seventh Heaven."

"Sounds good," Cloud agreed. "And Reno….I want you there with me, when I tell her. If you don't mind?"

"Of course, babe," replied Reno. "First let's jump in the shower….preferably together," he winked.

* * *

Shortly thereafter, the two were showered and ready to head out to Seventh Heaven. Cloud was bemoaning the fact that Reno had used nearly half a bottle of shampoo on his long, unruly red mane.

"Reno, seriously," complained Cloud. "I know you have a lot of hair, but did you have to use all my fucking shampoo? I bought that stuff special, in Costa del Sol."

"You know, you sound like a spoiled little princess when you complain about your shampoo like that," teased Reno. "Don't worry…I'll buy you some more of that foo-foo coconut stuff. Besides, Cloud," Reno continued, running his fingers through Cloud's still-damp spikes, "maybe I just wanted to have your smell all over me, you know?" He crushed Cloud to his chest, inhaling his scent. "Mmm," Reno groaned. "So good."

Cloud sighed, and wrapped his arms around Reno's waist. "How'd I ever get so lucky?" Cloud mused, dreamily. "I've never been this happy, Reno. Love you," he said, kissing Reno gently on the lips.

"Love you too, Cloud," Reno answered. "Hey, as much as I'd love to fuck you senseless right now? We maybe should get going," he grinned cheekily.

"Okay," agreed Cloud, laughing. "We can take Fenrir."

"Excellent!" exclaimed Reno, rubbing his hands together gleefully. He had always envied Cloud's badass motorcycle, and was looking forward to riding it. _Even if I have to ride bitch_, Reno thought, smirking.

Cloud ran outside first, jumped on Fenrir and started the engine. Reno sat himself behind Cloud on the motorcycle, just as Cloud was letting out the throttle. Reno quite liked the sensation – both the vibrations, and being seated behind Cloud's tight ass. He could already feel a boner coming on as they were sitting there idling.

"Cloud!" Reno yelled over the noise of the engine.

"Yeah?" Cloud replied, turning back to look at Reno.

"I'm riding bitch here," snorted Reno, "so don't forget I'm back here, and try any crazy shit with that bike."

"Okay, 'bitch'," answered Cloud with a wink. "Better hold onto those fucking goggles."

Cloud let the throttle out further and Fenrir roared to life, taking off so fast that Reno was thrown back against the sissy bar. He scooted himself up a bit further and wrapped his arms around Cloud's waist, holding on tight. _Gods, this is fucking awesome! _thought Reno, as he leaned in further toward Cloud's muscular back, holding on tight.

Reno couldn't see it, of course, but Cloud had a smile working at the corners of his mouth as he felt his lover's arms tighten around his waist.

They rode in silence for several miles, circumventing the Midgar ruins. Cloud wanted to put Fenrir through its paces, so they decided to take a 'fun' ride before heading over to Seventh Heaven. Reno felt as if he was about to lose his mind. Between the hum and throb of the engine between his legs, and the fact that he was leaning against Cloud's back, arms wrapped around his waist – not to mention his sizeable erection that was, by now, poking Cloud in the ass – Reno thought he was just going to come in his pants right then and there.

"Cloud!" Reno shouted. He jabbed Cloud in the shoulder, as nothing could be heard over the roar of the engine. Glancing back, Cloud shrugged his shoulders – "What?

Reno motioned to the side of the road. "Pull over."

Cloud downshifted and braked, and slowed the bike down, pulling over to the shoulder of a long-abandoned dirt road. "What's wrong, Reno?" Cloud asked, glancing back at him, and sliding his goggles up over his forehead.

Reno had already gotten himself off of the bike. His erection was almost painful to him by this point, so he had to move gingerly. "Ah, nothing…gotta stretch a bit, yo," he replied absently. He paced a bit next to Fenrir; Cloud followed suit in dismounting the motorcycle.

Turning on his heel, Reno barked, "Oh, fuck it, Cloud!" Reno crushed Cloud to his chest in a tight embrace, hungrily kissing Cloud's lips. "I can't fucking stand it anymore, Cloud," Reno panted. "I want you. Now," he begged.

Casting a sultry glance at Reno, Cloud nodded his permission. "Reno. I just have one small request…"

"Anything, baby, anything…" said Reno, as he licked and nipped Cloud's neck.

"I want you to fuck me on my motorcycle," Cloud moaned, as Reno began licking Cloud's earlobe.

Reno paused a moment. "You want me to what?" _Oh fuck yes!_

The engine was still running, but Cloud didn't bother cutting it off. Reno unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants in record time; meanwhile, Cloud's shaking hands were fumbling, trying to unbuckle his own belt, and failing miserably. Reno decided to assist. "What's wrong babe?" he asked soothingly. "Gods, your hands are shaking, you okay?"

"I'm….I'm fine…," Cloud stammered. "I'm just really….um, worked up, you know?"

Reno laughed. "Yeah, I've kind of got the same feeling right about now." A zipper sounded, and Cloud's pants fell down to the ground. Reno lightly ran his hands around Cloud's hips, making Cloud moan in delight. His hands came full circle around the front, and grabbed Cloud's shaft tightly. "Oh gods!" groaned Cloud. "I'm…gonna get back on the bike now," breathed Cloud. "Get behind me," he ordered Reno.

Reno …he couldn't hold back any longer. He was leaking come already, he had to take Cloud, _now_, before he blew his load prematurely. Now seated on the motorcycle, he worked the head of his penis into Cloud's tight, spasming ass, as gently as possible. Reno didn't want to ram too hard into Cloud right away, even though it felt like torture taking it slow and easy, Cloud was just so damned tight, Reno didn't want to hurt him.

Easing his length in, Reno let out his breath, he hadn't even realized he was holding it. "I'm in," he whispered to Cloud.

"Not so gentle, babe," encouraged Cloud, smiling and panting. "I'm not breakable, you know."

"Well, fuck!" exclaimed Reno, grinning. "You asked for it." Hearing that was all the encouragement Reno needed. He rammed into Cloud again, fast and more furious which each thrust. Cloud gripped the handlebars of Fenrir, he felt like he might fly over the damned handlebars the way Reno was fucking him. "Fucking Gaia!" he cried, as he felt himself coming to climax, and he came all over the gas tank of the motorcycle. Cloud then felt Reno tensing, with one final thrust, Reno emptied his load into Cloud.

"Oh, shit!" yelled Reno. "Oh…oh, Cloud. Fuck." He wrapped his arms around Cloud again, kissing the back of his neck. "Gods, Cloud…I love you so fucking much," Reno cried.

Cloud turned in his seat to face Reno. "I love you too, Reno," he said, trembling. A single tear was threatening to escape, but Cloud blinked it back. _Gods, what is happening here?_ Cloud wondered. Cloud was starting to feel amazed at the intensity of his feelings toward Reno. He wasn't questioning his feelings, but felt rather surprised at how strong they really were.

Reno and Cloud both very gingerly got off of the back of the bike, and surveyed the scene. "Um, I hope you've got a rag somewhere in there, yo," said Reno sheepishly. "We made a bit of a mess here, eh?"

Cloud shrugged. "Guess so," he replied, with the hint of a smile. "But fuck me, it was worth it." He burst into laughter, clutching his sides. "Oh, Gaia," he chortled, unable to stop giggling.

"Yeah. I'll say it was worth it," laughed Reno. "Now give me that fucking rag."

* * *

The sun was low in the sky, grazing the blue-black horizon by the time Reno and Cloud got themselves presentable once again, and arrived at Tifa's. "Better late than never, right?" quipped Reno, as they both dismounted Fenrir and made their way to the door. Reno shoved the door open with his elbow, and raised his eyebrows at the sight that awaited him. There was Tifa, all right….apparently off duty, because her lips were locked with those of some guy. Some tall, _very_ familiar looking guy, whose back was facing both Reno and Cloud.

"Cloud?" Reno said absently to the blond beside him. "I don't think Tifa's pining for you anymore, yo."

At that moment, Tifa ended the kiss, and gazed lovingly at the man she was embracing. Her line of sight then shifted over to where Reno and Cloud were, and she grinned, rushing over to greet them. "Cloud! Hey Reno!" she shouted. The man Tifa had been standing with whipped his head around to see who Tifa was addressing.

Instant recognition lit both Reno's and Cloud's faces. A huge grin broke out on Reno's face. "Rude! Partner! You old dog, you! You and Tifa, yo?" he exclaimed. Rude gave a small cough, then grinned. _Actually smiled,_ Reno thought. _I've never seen that dude smile, like…ever._

Cloud just stood there dumbly, not even knowing what to say. He hesitantly smiled at Tifa as she ran over to hug him. "Um, Teef?" Cloud began. "You and Rude are…together?"

"Yes, we are!" Tifa laughed. "Go figure, huh? I mean, Rude's like the last guy I ever pictured myself with," she joked.

"Hey," interrupted Rude, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "You know, I'm standing right here, Tifa." Tifa winked at him coyly.

"So, um…," began Cloud, "I take it you….already know about me and Reno?" He blushed slightly as he asked the question.

Tifa beamed at Cloud. "Yes, Cloud….Rude kind of filled me in, a little," she said. "But I need to know _specifics_."

Cloud and Reno both looked at each other, and laughed nervously. "Um, specifics, Tifa?" Cloud repeated.

"Yes, specifics! Oh not like that, you pervs!" Tifa retorted punching Reno in the arm. "Just you know…how'd you guys hook up, that sort of thing?"

"Ow," Reno whined. "I didn't even SAY anything, yo." Turning to Rude, Reno addressed him. "But you, partner….I tell you my deepest secrets, and you didn't even TELL me about you and Tifa? You suck, yo," he snorted.

Rude chuckled. "Reno, you can learn a lot more about people by listening, than talking; something you don't seem to do very well."

"Ah, fuck off, Rude!" Reno chuckled, clapping Rude on the back. "Seriously yo, congrats, partner. You got a good girl there."

"Yeah, you do," added Cloud. "And it goes without saying, if you ever hurt her, Rude…"

"….He'll fucking kill you," said Reno, finishing Cloud's sentence for him, smirking.

"Understood," smirked Rude. "Oh, Cloud? Same goes for you. If you break this bastard's heart….well, you know."

"Ain't gonna happen," Cloud replied, smiling, throwing his arm around Reno, who pecked Cloud on the cheek.

"Aw, aren't you two sweet," remarked Rude, smirking. "I hate to rain on this little parade here, but…Reno, we need to talk shop. Cloud, you can join us too….might need your…input." Rude jerked his head over toward a corner table where there were already a few empty beer bottles. "Over here, I got a table."

Reno and Cloud glanced at each other quizzically, Reno shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know what this is about, yo."

_Cloud_ sighed heavily. "Guess we'll find out_." I should have known_, he thought.…_things were going so well with me and Reno…all too well._

Rude gestured to them to sit down. "Tifa," he called. "Sit with us, if you're not busy."

Tifa glanced over at the trio, then back out toward the thinning crowd in the restaurant. "I think it's emptying out…pretty sure my girls here can handle the bar for a few more minutes. You okay up here by yourselves?" Tifa asked, addressing two female bartenders who were busy cleaning glasses and sweeping up after the departing crowd.

"We'll be fine, Tifa," replied the younger one, Seaj. "You go on, we'll tidy up and close."

"Thanks!" replied Tifa. She hastily made her way over to where Rude, Reno, and Cloud were sitting. "So what's going on, Rude?" Tifa asked, looking troubled.

"Nothing good," frowned Rude. "We have recent intelligence – and by recent, I mean within the past half hour – that Sephiroth is back."

"Back?" Cloud blurted. "But I fucking killed him! Tifa, you were there! How is this possible?" he demanded.

Tifa's face turned white. "No…," she whispered. "It just can't be!"

Reno leaned back, whistling. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Rude, how sure are they about this shit?"

"Pretty damned sure," replied Rude. "Tseng's been monitoring the Northern Crater for any activity…ever since Cloud defeated Sephiroth over a year ago."

"Well then," Reno concluded. "I've never known Tseng to make an error, so the data must be correct." He ran his hand through his hair, sighing. "Fuck! Why the fuck does this have to happen again? Why _now_?"

Cloud had a steely look in his eye as he got up from the table. "I'm going there," he stated firmly. "I'm going to settle this."

Reno immediately got up and grabbed Cloud by the arm. "Cloud, no. Don't you go up there alone, Cloud, you hear me? We'll go together."

Cloud caught the edge of fear in Reno's voice, and it shattered his heart. He didn't want to hurt Reno, didn't want to leave his side even…but how could he let Sephiroth come back, and probably try to destroy the planet yet _again_ while he was at it?

"Reno, understand," explained Cloud. "I love you, but I have to go. I have to do this."

"Well, fine," snapped Reno. "Then I'm fucking going with you."

Rude coughed. "Actually, Reno….Tseng has another mission lined up for us—"

"FUCK TSENG, all right?" Reno exploded, slamming his hand down on the table, enraged. The few people who were left in Tifa's bar whipped their heads around to see where the outburst was coming from. "I am going with Cloud, and I don't give a fuck what Tseng, or President Rufus fucking ShinRa have to say about it."

Sighing, Rude acquiesced. "I had a feeling you might say that, Reno. As it stands, our mission does have to do with this…newly gathered intelligence, as you might know."

"Good," replied Reno. "Let's get Tseng on the horn, and get this shit sorted out."

Rude shook his head. "I don't know, Reno – now, Tseng said we may need Cloud's input, seeing as he has experience with this—"

"Yeah, I'll say I have experience," snapped Cloud. "Seeing as I fucking KILLED the guy. How dare he come back! I'm going to fucking kill him again." Cloud was ready to punch a hole in a wall or something.

He made a decision. "Reno….Reno, I love you," Cloud choked. He wrapped his arms around Reno's waist, burying his face in Reno's neck. "I'm going now. You join me later—"

"No, FUCK YOU, Cloud," Reno snapped, breaking out of their embrace. "You are NOT going without me. I'll fly us up there, but for fuck's sake, you need to step back and chill."

"Step back and chill?" Cloud repeated incredulously. "I can't do that, Reno. You know that."

"Yeah, I know that," Reno said bitterly. "I know. Look….give me ten minutes. Let me see what I can do, I can talk to Tseng."

Tifa was clinging to Rude, feeling helpless. "Why is this happening again?" she asked, fighting back tears.

"I don't know, sweetheart," said Rude, kissing the top of her head. "I just hope Cloud doesn't do anything stupid.

Reno was on his cell phone, dialing Tseng. "Tseng," he began, as he heard the man pick up. "Look, Rude just filled me in—"

Just then, Reno heard a motorcycle starting. _Fenrir. Fuck. NO_. Reno dropped his cell phone and ran outside. "Cloud, no!" he shouted, running after the shadowy figure of Cloud, roaring off on his motorcycle. "_CLOUD_!"

Reno sank to the ground, sobbing, punching the asphalt until his knuckles were bleeding and raw. "Why, Cloud…_why_?" he wept brokenly.

* * *

**A/N: Oh man. I really hate myself now for torturing my poor Reno! :*( But I think I hate Cloud more right now for being an asshole. :(**


	7. Flying

**This has been a rough week, and although I've proofread this chapter a WHOLE bunch of times, I don't feel like it's my best work. Yes, it advances the plot to the next point, and it says what I wanted it to say, but I wanted it to be..._more_, I guess. ****And I HATE that there's a complete lack of _funny _in here now - the story started off kind of lighthearted and smartassy...but, I guess there's nothing lighthearted about this particular point in the story! Here comes the angst!**

**My son started kindergarten this week and apparently hates school, cries and begs every day to stay home...it's breaking my heart, I'm stressing out over that, so I feel like I'm off my game with my writing. Better stuffs coming in the next chapter, if I can de-stress a bit over the weekend. :)**

**Please read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

Tifa's heart leapt into her throat when she heard Cloud's motorcycle taking off_. How did we not notice him slip out? It took only seconds.. and then he was just gone_, she thought. At just that precise moment – really, just the exact _wrong_ moment - Reno had been trying to reach Tseng on his cell phone, Tifa had been reeling in shock upon hearing that Sephiroth was, in all probability…still alive – and Cloud took advantage of that one moment of distraction, to slip out unnoticed.

She ran out of the restaurant, and the sight before her just made her heart drop. Reno was sitting up against the wall, head in his hands, sobbing hysterically. It was heartbreaking, although Tifa understood Reno's angst all too well; it was never easy being in love with someone like Cloud. She would know that better than anyone, really.

Biting her lip to keep from crying, Tifa knelt down next to Reno. Rude had followed Tifa outside, and ran up the street to follow Cloud's tire tracks, cell phone to his ear. He was phoning Tseng to report this latest incident, of Cloud taking off to find Sephiroth.

Rude glanced briefly at Tifa comforting his partner, who looked as much unlike a hardened Turk as one could imagine. Reno looked like a broken man; it shook Rude to the core, to see his tough talking partner reduced to a weepy mess. Rude gritted his teeth , vowing to get even with Cloud…if he ever caught up to him. _Nobody does THAT to Reno and gets away with it_, Rude thought angrily. _I should have warned him not to get involved with Cloud…gods, look at the number he pulled on Tifa. _

"Reno," Tifa crooned, trying to comfort the hysterical Turk. "It'll be okay, Reno. I'm here, Rude is here…I'm going to call in our friends. We'll go to the Northern Crater to get Cloud, I promise," she assured him.

Sniffling, Reno managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Tifa," he said softly. "I'm…sorry about the waterworks, yo. I just can't believe he left me like that…"

Tifa gave Reno a hard look. "I believe it," she replied firmly. "You've got to understand, Reno – Cloud just sets his mind to something and does it. And damn the consequences. He's not someone who expresses his feelings easily, he does so by…his actions, I guess."

Reno pondered this for a moment. "Hmm," he scoffed. "Then I guess Cloud declaring his undying love for me was just bullshit then, huh?" he snapped.

"Reno," Tifa said quietly, "Listen to me. Cloud never told me he loved me…and he never looked at me the way I saw him looking at you tonight. If he said those words to you, and the way that he said them…then I believe that he meant them, with every fiber of his being."

"No," Tifa stopped Reno, who began to protest, "don't argue with me. See, I _know_ Cloud...probably even better than he knows himself….and I know this: he loves you, Reno. Like I told you…I saw it in his eyes. " Tifa paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts.

"And one more thing - I know, this will sound completely fucked up," Tifa continued, "but – Cloud is Cloud, you know! I think in his head…well, he went after Sephiroth to save YOU from having to do it."

Choking back a sob, Reno groaned. "Oh gods," he muttered. "See, I'd do anything for him, too…but why wouldn't he wait for me? We could have fought Sephiroth together!" He slumped back against the wall he was sitting against. "Damn his stubborn ass!" Reno said angrily. His sadness and fear was quickly evaporating into full-out rage. Rage against Cloud for leaving, rage against Sephiroth for somehow coming back from the dead...why was this happening? Why now?

Sighing, Tifa hugged Reno and said, "If I know Cloud as well as I believe I do…Cloud loves you so much that HE would rather die fighting Sephiroth, than to have you….die."

"Gods," Reno sniffed. "No. No, Cloud will NOT fucking die! Do you hear me, Tifa? I will not let him die." he said firmly. "Okay. Right," he continued, attempting to collect himself. "Tifa, I'm going to track down Tseng. You get on the phone and call everyone….Rude?" Reno looked at his partner questioningly.

"Already on it, Reno," replied Rude. "I called Tseng back and told him what happened. He's not happy, but he gave us the green light to attempt a rescue mission. Let's go find Cloud, Reno."

"Thanks, partner," Reno said with a slight smile. "You're always one step ahead of me. Tifa," he continued, "Rude and I are going to get a chopper and head up there. Call everyone you can think of…Barret, Vincent, Yuffie…everyone...do you think you can get Cid to fly all of you?"

Tifa nodded vigorously. "I'm sure if he's not busy, he'll do it," she replied. "And even if he IS busy, he'll drop whatever he's doing for this."

Reno sighed, sounding a bit relieved. "Okay then. Sounds like we've got a plan in motion. You realize," he said evenly, "that I'm going to fucking kill Cloud when I see him. Running out on me and shit, what the fuck is that about?" he said irritably.

"Great," said Rude sarcastically. "So I get to witness your first lover's spat?"

"Yeah," chuckled Reno. "Something like that." _At least….I hope you do, Rude_, thought Reno_. I hope you do._

* * *

The wind bit against Cloud's tear-stained face as he sped away on Fenrir. He could still hear Reno's shouting, begging him not to go_. I fucked up_, thought Cloud, crying_. The best thing that's ever happened to me, and I fucked it up. Gods, I hope Reno can forgive me…but the fact remains, I have to be the one to deal with Sephiroth, not him. I mean, what if something happened to Reno, I'd never forgive myself._

**Did you ever stop and think, Cloud, that Reno feels the same way? That he'd rather die than to lose you?**

Cloud shook his head, trying to ignore _that_ voice. _No_, he thought_, I guess I didn't think._ _I just …reacted. But I have to settle this, yet again. Sephiroth must not be allowed to return._

**Why does it always have to be you, Cloud? Why do you feel you are the only one who can save the Planet?**

"Well, I did it once before, didn't I?" Cloud said out loud, stubbornly. _I've gotta get to Cid…maybe he'll let me borrow a plane…_

**You didn't save the Planet alone, Cloud. Yes, you defeated Sephiroth on your own, but your friends were there with you throughout the entire journey. You never could have gotten as far as you did, by yourself. Why turn your back on them now when they are willing to help?**

_Because_, thought Cloud_, putting them all through hell once was enough. Besides, things are different now, with Reno in my life. I want to protect him._

**How noble of you. Reno doesn't need to be protected, Cloud. He's not Aerith.**

_Where the hell did that come from? _Cloud wondered. _No, he's not Aerith, I know that…and I know he can handle himself. I'm just afraid…what Sephiroth might do to Reno, if he knew how much Reno means to me. I know how Sephiroth is…he wants to destroy…everything, everyone I care about._

**Fair enough. But even if you win this battle against Sephiroth, Cloud…you still may lose everything.**

Ending the conversation with himself, Cloud accelerated his motorcycle. He was en route to Cid Highwind's place outside of Kalm. Cid had recently established a municipal airport there, and kept most of his fleet of airplanes there, with the remainder back in Rocket Town. Cloud was hoping Cid would see fit to let him borrow a small plane; he was confident enough in his piloting abilities, that he didn't think he'd have much trouble flying a single engine plane, or even a twin engine. _It's not like I want to borrow the Highwind_, Cloud thought wryly.

Pulling up alongside one of the hangars, Cloud cut Fenrir's engine, and engaged the kickstand. Dismounting the motorcycle, he wandered into the hangar, looking for Cid, or at the very least, someone who could tell him where Cid was. Being an accomplished aviator, Cid was fond of taking off at a moment's notice, without a word to anyone_. Kind of like what I just pulled on Reno_, Cloud thought guiltily. Frowning, he kicked at the dusty ground with his shoe; then, proceeded further into the hangar. He came upon an airplane mechanic was busily adjusting a propeller blade; the man started when he realized Cloud was silently standing behind him, wordlessly.

"Can I help you?" the mechanic asked Cloud, eyeing him warily.

"I'm looking for Cid. He around?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah. In his office," the mechanic replied, jerking his head toward the small building adjacent to the hangar. "Name's Jake, I'm one of Cid's new guys," he said, offering his hand. "And you are?"

"Cloud Strife. Good to meet you, Jake," Cloud replied, shaking the mechanic's hand.

Jake raised an eyebrow at the mention of Cloud's name. "Cloud Strife, eh? _The_ Cloud Strife? Wow, man. What brings you all the way out here, my friend?

"I need a plane," Cloud replied shortly, as they reached the door of Cid's office. "If you'll excuse me…"

"Sure, sure," said Jake distractedly. "Um…if you need anything, you know where I'm at."

"Thanks, Jake," Cloud replied absently.

Cid was on the phone as Cloud entered. "Look, asshole," Cid barked into the receiver, "you short me again on my jet fuel, and I'll rip you a new asshole! Yeah, you too. Fucknut." Cid slammed down the receiver, grumbling. Looking up, he caught sight of Cloud standing in the doorway, and raised an eyebrow. "Cloud," said Cid, getting up from his chair to greet him. "Long time no see. Whatcha been up to, kid?"

"Cid, I need a plane," Cloud replied. "I know, it's short notice…sorry about that…let's just say it's an emergency."

"Emergency? What kinda emergency warrants needin' a plane at the drop of a hat?" Cid demanded. He took a long drag off of the cigarette that was dangling from his mouth. "What's this about, Cloud?"

"Cid, it's-please, I can't answer any questions right now. Just know that I wouldn't ask you unless I had a good reason," Cloud pleaded.

Sighing, Cid relented, and searched the pegboard over his desk for the ignition keys to one of his single engine planes. "You can have one of the little guys, single engine. Think you can handle 'er?" Cid asked, tossing the keys to Cloud.

Catching the keys, Cloud replied, "Sure can. Between you and Reno giving me flying lessons last year, I'm not such a bad pilot."

Cloud felt his face fall with his mention of Reno, and guilt flooded over him. _I hadn't thought about that in so long_, Cloud mused. _We had so much fun…even though Reno was fucking around and showing off in the chopper. _He smiled at the memory. _Was that when this…infatuation started?_ Cloud pondered.

He remembered his initial shock on that day, when he realized that, yes…Reno was actually _flirting_ _with him_, while showing him the instrumentation on his helicopter. Cloud remembered their hands brushing together as Reno instructed him on how to manipulate the throttle…how that touch just…did something inexplicable to him that day. _I remember…looking into Reno's eyes after that…just longing to kiss him…and then…suddenly remembering that I had to go home to Tifa, _Cloud thought. _So many things have changed since then…most of them for the better._

_Until today._

The gruff voice of Cid interrupted Cloud's reverie. "I don't like this, Cloud," muttered Cid. "Something's wrong with ya, I can tell. Now," he continued, "I don't doubt your flying ability one bit, or I wouldn't be handin' ya these keys. Tell me what's going on."

Cloud hesitated before going on. "Cid…I don't want to lie to you….which is why I'm not telling you everything. So yeah," Cloud admitted, "I'm holding something back. But listen…do this for me, please. I'm sorry I can't tell you anything more, Cid, I really am," Cloud apologized.

Cid sighed again, and stubbed out his cigarette. "Shit," he grumbled. "Like I said, I don't like this. You better not be pulling any crazy shit with my plane, either," Cid warned, wagging his finger at Cloud.

Smiling, Cloud nodded. "It'll be fine, Cid. And…thank you."

"You're welcome," Cid grumbled. "Come on, let's get out there, I'll show you the bird you'll be flying, and we'll go through our preflight checklist, okay?"

"Okay", agreed Cloud. "I want to be airborne as quickly as possible. But," he stressed, grinning at Cid, "I won't fuck around with preflight."

"Good answer, kid," Cid replied gruffly. "Here she is….isn't she a beaut?" Cid remarked, as he led Cloud to a Cessna that was painted an odd shade of chartreuse.

"Um…nice color, Cid," Cloud grinned. He scooted up the stepladder and into the cockpit of the plane. "Okay. I haven't been out in maybe a month," Cloud admitted, "but walk me through everything here, Cid, if you don't mind."

"Okay," agreed Cid. "I'm glad ya have sense enough to follow proper flight procedure here. All right, kid. I'll radio the tower first, get a runway cleared for ya."

Cloud sat back in the cockpit, alone with his thoughts, while Cid radioed the tower. _Shouldn't have left Reno,_ Cloud thought again guiltily.

**It's not too late. Turn around—go back to him.**

_I can't. This is my battle…to fight alone. But what if…what if I fail?_

Looking up, Cloud saw Cid trotting back toward the plane. "Okay, Cloud, runway nine is cleared for ya. Let's go through this list, shall we?

"Just a minute, Cid," Cloud interrupted. "Do you have pen and paper handy?"

Sighing, Cid pointed into the cockpit. "Clipboard in there, pens in a cup next to it. I thought you were in a hurry?" Cid grumbled.

"I just need to write…something. Give me a minute," Cloud replied.

"Don't be startin' her up till you're ready," Cid warned. "Jet fuel ain't cheap, you know."

"Thanks, Cid," said Cloud. He sighed, and began writing on the paper tucked in the clipboard.

_Reno,_

_By the time you get this letter, I will already be at the Northern Crater. I know you must be angry with me for taking off the way I did – hell, I'm pretty pissed at myself for doing that to you. I can still hear your screams for me to stop, to come back…I pretended I didn't hear you, but I did. It killed me to do that to you…I love you so much, but that's why I did this. Maybe I couldn't save Aerith…but I can try to spare you that same fate. _

_This is my battle to fight, me and Sephiroth. I will do everything in my power to defeat Sephiroth, and I will come back to you…but if, gods forbid, something goes wrong…at least I will die with the knowledge that you are safe._

_I love you more than life, Reno…even my own._

_Cloud_

The words were starting to run together, as tears fell from Cloud's eyes. A large droplet fell right in the middle of the page, making the ink blur. Sniffling, Cloud folded up the letter and handed it to Cid.

"Cid," Cloud said hoarsely, "Can you do me one more favor? Please…if anything should happen to me…can you see that Reno gets this letter? And it's, uh…private."

"What is this 'if anything should happen' horseshit?" Cid barked as he took the letter from Cloud. "What the hell is really going on here?" Cid's eyes were ablaze as he started to realize there was more to the situation than Cloud was letting on.

"No time for small talk," Cloud snapped. "I'm going to run through everything and get this bird in the air. Seat belt – check. Beacon on – check. Test brakes – check. Carbuerator—"

"Cloud, goddammit," interrupted Cid angrily. "You get the fuck out of my plane now, and tell me what's going on!"

Cloud continued his checklist, ignoring Cid. "Ignition. Wing flaps up. Throttle to full—"

"God fucking dammit, GET OFF MY PLANE!" bellowed Cid. Furious though he was, Cid had backed away from the aircraft, as the propeller was fully engaged by this point.

Lowering his goggles, Cloud gave Cid a thumbs-up to Cid, lowered the cockpit hood and began his taxi toward the runway. "I'm sorry!" he mouthed to Cid, shrugging his shoulders sheepishly.

Cid threw his cigarette to the ground as Cloud piloted the plane toward its departure point, and he ran back to his office. _Gotta call Tifa_, Cid thought_. I don't know what the fuck that kid is thinking, but maybe she'll have some idea…_

As Cid dialed Tifa's number, he saw the plane taxiing down the runway, and saw Cloud take off, lifting the nose of the plane off of the ground, and ascending into the sky. _Well I'll be damned,_ thought Cid_. Kid's a crack pilot after all._

"Tifa's Seventh Heaven," came a shaky sounding voice on the other end of the line.

"This Tifa? Cid Highwind here," Cid began, not recognizing the voice. He suddenly realized he was still holding Cloud's letter in his hand, and ran his finger along the folds. _Cloud said not to open it, but…_

"Oh Cid!" Tifa sobbed. "I was just going to call you! Can you pilot us to the Northern Crater? And I mean all of us…I've just called Barret, and Vincent and Yuffie, they're on their way here, I think they're going to get Nanaki…"

"Hold on Tifa," interrupted Cid. "Why in hell would you want to go up there?" He decided, against his better judgment, to open Cloud's letter. _Private, my ass_, thought Cid_, that motherfucker has my goddamn plane._

A quick glance at the letter's contents told Cid everything he needed to know. "Oh fuck, Tifa," Cid groaned. "This isn't about….Sephiroth, is it?"

"Yes," Tifa cried. "How did you know?"

"Um," Cid lied, "I just figured…what with the Northern Crater and all..."

"Well, unfortunately you're right," replied Tifa. "Cloud's heading up there, he took off from here without a word. I've been calling all of our friends…the Turks are heading up a rescue mission now."

"Erm," Cid began hesitantly, "I don't know how to tell ya this, but…Cloud was just here, wantin' to borrow a plane."

"What! Is Cloud still there—" Tifa started.

Suddenly another voice came on the phone. "Highwind, this is Reno. Put Cloud on the phone…please," he pleaded.

"Can't do that," Cid said glumly. "He's…gone. Said he wanted to borrow a plane, so I—"

"What?" Reno exploded. "So you just fucking let him take off, alone, to fight Sephiroth? What the fuck were you thinking?"

"Shut up for a minute, would ya!" Cid retorted. "All's he said was, he needed to borrow a plane. Didn't say what for. You think for one minute that I woulda let him take off alone, to face certain death?" Cid winced as he said those last two words.

He heard Reno make a choking sound. "Did you at least try to stop him?" Reno asked, quietly.

"I did, Reno, I did," Cid replied, trying to sound reassuring. "After a while it seemed like something was…off. So I called Cloud on it, but he fucking took off. In _my_ new plane," Cid added. "Oh, Reno…he left a letter for ya. I'll make sure you get it."

_A letter from Cloud_, thought Reno. _Gaia, I have a bad feeling about this_…

"Cid, here's the plan," Reno instructed. "Rude and I are heading back to headquarters right now. I'm grabbing a chopper, Elena and Tseng are joining us in a rescue mission. You get the Highwind ready for flight, Tifa and the others will be by within the hour."

"Done and done," replied Cid. "And Reno…look, I'm really sorry…I woulda stopped him if I had known…"

Reno sighed. "Look…what's done is done," he said. "And chances are, Cloud wouldn't have listened to you anyway, you know? Anyway, I gotta get going now that we've got a plan in motion. I'll see you up at the Crater."

"Okay. Put Tifa back on," Cid instructed.

Reno handed the phone back to a tearful Tifa. "Tifa," Cid said, "Look…like I was just tellin' Reno, I never woulda let Cloud take the plane if I had known…"

"It's okay, Cid," Tifa said softly. "I mean, how could you know? I'm sure Cloud told you nothing about his real reason for borrowing a plane," she said bitterly.

"Yeah. Still, I knew something was up…shoulda stopped him," Cid sighed. "Anyway. We'll make this right. I'll ready the Highwind, you get everyone up to my airport, and we can take off right away, okay Tifa?"

"All right," Tifa agreed, sounding a bit more relieved. "I'll call you when we're on our way."

"Good girl," Cid replied, trying to sound cheery. "See you then."

Hanging up the phone, Cid once again glanced down at Cloud's letter to Reno. _Shouldn't have peeked at it_, Cid thought. _That was wrong_.

"Oh, Reno," Cid said aloud, shaking his head. "You poor bastard. I hope you rip Cloud a new one when we get there_._"_ If we get there before…anything bad happens…_

* * *

**A/N: I hope I did the aviation stuff justice. I wrote that having my dad in mind...he used to be an airplane mechanic, and loved everything about flying. He always wanted to buy himself a single engine plane when he retired, but his debilitating illness got in the way, so that dream is unfortunately gone. **


	8. Ghosts Resurfacing

**I do not own the following songs quoted herein: "Only" by Anthrax, "Sweating Bullets" by Megadeth, and "Misunderstood" by Dream Theater. They are used only to set the mood.**

* * *

He was now in full Turk mode, and he had to be. Something shifted inside of Reno, once he got the go-ahead from Tseng, to go on this rescue mission - it was as if all other emotions shut down. All except for one…anger. Yes, he was still angry as hell at Cloud for sneaking off like that. _He knew I didn't want him to go alone, and he went anyway,_ Reno thought furiously_. What the fuck? Has he got some kind of martyr complex? _

Reno and Rude were both back at headquarters, on the roof of the newly constructed ShinRa building in Edge, and both were approaching the helipad. It relieved Reno a bit, to think he'd be behind the controls of the chopper within a few minutes. _The 'copter, at least…I have control over it_, he thought. _Everything else…not so much. Cloud just took the fuck off, and left me holding the bag. Goddamn him._

A door opened up on the rooftop, and Tseng and Elena appeared. "Hi guys," greeted Elena. Tseng looked thoughtfully at Reno, his number two in command. He had seen the redheaded Turk angry before, but this…was something different. Reno could be ruthless, and cold – he had to be, to be a Turk, of course – but this was a _different_ kind of cold.

Reno always retained some of his twisted brand of humor when he was on a mission – it was his defense mechanism, the one thing that prevented him from losing his mind at times, when he had to perform unthinkable tasks; tasks that would horrify most people, but in the end, they were just things that amounted to nothing more than just a day in the life of a Turk.

But that safety valve, that lazy, relaxed humor of Reno's – seemed to be completely gone now. Vanished. Tseng was mildly concerned at this, but kept his thoughts to himself for the moment. He was very good at reading people and gauging their moods, but he knew this was not the most opportune time to ask Reno "what's wrong," particularly given the fact that Reno would be the one piloting them to the Northern Crater. Tseng knew better than to poke at the hornet's nest that was Reno.

"Sir," Rude greeted Tseng. "Everything's prepped and we're ready for departure, Reno's piloting."

"Good," replied Tseng. "Elena, load the rest of our weapons and materia in the back, would you? And," Tseng continued with a grin, "I brought coffees for us." He offered each of the Turks a cup from the cardboard tray he was carrying.

Unsmiling, Reno took one of the cups offered to him. "Thanks, Tseng," he said absently. "What, no donuts?" he joked. But there was no humor in Reno's voice, no cocky smile that the others had come to expect. The remaining Turks also picked up on this change in Reno's demeanor, but said nothing.

"Okay, yo," Reno addressed his fellow Turks, "Everyone on board, secure your shit, and we're taking off ASAP." Turning on his heel, Reno strolled toward the helicopter, EMR slung over his shoulder. Tseng and Rude exchanged a look, with Tseng raising his eyebrows quizzically. Quietly, Rude muttered to Tseng as they followed Reno towards the chopper, "He's, um… taking this personally. Cloud…well, they're involved, sir."

"Ah. I see," replied Tseng simply. That told him everything he needed to know. He had suspected something like this might happen for some time now. Now he had another reason to be concerned for his second-in-command; he fervently hoped that Reno's emotions, or seeming lack thereof, and his relationship with Cloud wouldn't compromise the mission.

Reno sat up front behind the controls of the chopper, put on his headset, and started flipping switches on the instrument panel, barely noticing when the others took their seats. "We clear, Rude?" Reno asked quietly.

"Everyone's in, Reno," Rude answered. "Proceed." Rude was thinking, his eyebrows knitted together behind his dark glasses. He had also noticed how quiet and…well, un-Reno-like, Reno had become since Cloud's abrupt departure.

"Prep for dustoff on my go," Reno said robotically. He was, for lack of a better word, on auto-pilot. Reno always felt comfortably isolated and a bit protected from all the bullshit going on in the outside world, when he was piloting the helicopter; it was soothing, this act of flying. He found that odd, given the gamut of emotions he had just been through; but for Reno, flying helicopters was almost like a balm for his soul. He hardly had to think anymore, when flying, he just acted. Not having to think about anything …including Cloud…that seemed like a pretty good idea to Reno right now.

Try as he might to ignore it, though, Reno's thoughts quickly shifted back to Cloud_. If only you had trusted me_, _Cloud_, he thought sadly_. I would have seen this through with you, right by your side. _

_**You would see if  
Only  
You hadn't taken things out of my hands  
Only  
You never wanted to understand**_

Sighing, Reno shifted his feet, working the pedals of the chopper, and twisted the throttle. He raised another lever to lift the helicopter, and within moments, they achieved liftoff.

_**Revolve around yourself  
It's you and no one else  
Hard for me to stay  
**_

Reno set his jaw, trying to swallow the anger he felt toward Cloud. Being mad at him seemed easier than feeling any other emotion towards Cloud at the moment. Reno suddenly remembered what Cid had told him, that Cloud left a letter behind for him. _Hmpf_, thought Reno_. What is it, his last fucking will and testament? _He felt a lump come to his throat at this last thought. _NO. Bad joke. Get a hold of yourself, Turk…_

_**Crucified, terrified, sacrifice, my whole life…**_

He'd never admit it to anyone – he could barely admit it to himself – but he was just as much scared as he was angry. Scared at the possibility that he might lose Cloud forever, even though he insisted to himself, that this would not come to pass. Not if he could help it.

* * *

The windows of Seventh Heaven were shuttered, and Tifa was hanging up the "Sorry – We're Closed" sign just as more customers were starting to file in. "I'm sorry," she mumbled apologetically to several regulars who were attempting to come inside, just as she was locking the door. "Family emergency, we're closed." _That's a good enough explanation for anyone_, she thought somberly. _And if they don't like it, too bad._

Turning from the door, Tifa turned to the others. Barret had arrived quickly, just minutes after Tifa called him; and Vincent, Yuffie and Nanaki were reportedly on their way. Barret was apparently having troubling wrapping his head around the Turks' involvement in this rescue mission to find Cloud, and Tifa was getting frustrated having to explain things over and _over_ to him.

"So,Tifa," demanded Barret, "I jes' don't get it. Are the Turks after Sephiroth too? I can't imagine Rufus ShinRa or the Turks givin' a rat's ass about Cloud—"

"Barret, I told you," Tifa sighed. "I don't even know if Rufus has even authorized this rescue mission, I think the Turks might even be operating under the radar, and under Tseng's orders here—"

"But why, Tifa?" Barret interrupted yet again.

"_Because_, Barret…you idiot!" Tifa hissed through her teeth, "Reno is in love with Cloud!" _Not to mention,_ she thought wryly_, I'm sleeping with a Turk myself…but I guess I won't remind Barret about that right now…_

"Oh," said Barret dumbly. "So that's that. And Cloud…?"

"Is in love with Reno," Tifa finished his sentence, with a rueful smile. "So…that's why. That's why the Turks are involved now."

Barret suddenly looked concerned. "Tifa," he began, "is this why…Cloud left you? Was he messin' 'round with Reno when he was with you?" Barret frowned, and felt his gun-arm tense, thinking of the possibility of Cloud cheating on Tifa…with a _Turk_, of all things…oh, what he would do to Cloud, if he had been _cheating_ on Tifa…

"No, Barret!" exclaimed Tifa. "Cloud and I were done long before…this happened. But to be honest, I think…they've been attracted to each other for a long time now," Tifa concluded. "I don't think Cloud even realized it himself until fairly recently."

"Hah. Well, no surprise there, he always was a dumbass," Barret snorted. "Well….I guess everythin' um…worked out for the best, then…you and Rude…" Barret stuttered uncomfortably. "Well, y'all are happy now, right?" Barret gave Tifa a lopsided smile.

Tifa laughed. "Yeah, Barret. Everything worked out for the best. Well…until Sephiroth…" She frowned again.

"I know, Teef. I know," nodded Barret. "We'll get Cloud's spikey headed ass back here, come hell or high water!"

A shadow suddenly fell across the front door, and Tifa rushed over to see who it was. _Vincent,_ she thought. _And the others…I hope everyone is here, we really need to get going quickly._

Opening the door, Tifa saw that it was indeed the ex-Turk, along with Yuffie and Nanaki. "Come in, guys!" Tifa exclaimed. She was glad to see everyone again, although, the circumstances for this reunion were certainly less than ideal. Yuffie looked…different to Tifa_. More mature, if you can believe it_, Tifa thought with a smile. Yuffie winked at Tifa, and immediately plopped herself on a barstool, foraging the bowls placed on the bar for whatever bar snacks she could find. She grabbed a handful of pretzels in and started snacking. "Sorry, but I'm freaking starving!" Yuffie complained. "I didn't even have _time_ to eat dinner, and then Vincent was knocking at my door, I was standing there in my _underwear_, even…" Yuffie suddenly realized, _Oh shit, that last part was out loud_, and blushed. She sat back on the stool and pretended to be busy looking for beer nuts.

Nanaki seemed less serious than he was before…a bit more lighthearted, and Vincent seemed different too…although Tifa couldn't quite put her finger on what had changed about him. Did he actually appear…happy? The ex-Turk wasn't quite smiling, but he too somehow seemed…lighter_. I'll be having a chat with him later_, Tifa thought, making herself a mental note.

"Now that everyone's here….let's get over to Cid's. I'll fill you in with what I know so far…but the long and short of it is: Cloud needs our help, Cid's going to fly us to the Northern Crater, and…Sephiroth's there." Tifa exhaled, as if she had been holding her breath the entire time.

"Understood," Vincent nodded. "I believe we have all made the necessary preparations with our weapons and materia…"

"Oh yeah, materia!" Yuffie butted in. "I'm all over that!" She indicated the case that was sitting by her feet, which contained her stash. "Got everything we need, and then some!"

Vincent rolled his eyes, but smiled in spite of himself. _Yuffie and her materia….some things will never change_, he thought with a wry grin.

"Yo, Vin, are you actually _smiling?_" giggled Yuffie. "I should take a freakin' picture of that! That _never_ happens!"

Vincent and Nanaki both groaned at this. "You're sitting next to her, not me," Nanaki warned, nudging Vincent with his nose.

Oddly, Vincent didn't seem to think sitting next to Yuffie was as horrible a fate as Nanaki was making it out to be.

* * *

It was a short flight to the Northern Continent, even on a bad day, but flying conditions couldn't be more perfect when Cloud took off in the small airplane. _That's the only thing that's gone right today_, Cloud thought wryly, _was the weather_.

He started thinking of what he and Reno might have been doing with their day, if everything had not been turned upside down by this news about Sephiroth's return_. We probably would have done… whatever it is normal couples do_, Cloud mused. _Go to the beach, have a nice dinner out…and then…afterward. _Cloud smiled thinking about the 'afterward.'

Cloud's mind instantly jumped to the last time he and Reno had sex, on the back of Fenrir, and he couldn't help but smile wistfully at the memory. _Gaia, the sex…_ It was unlike anything Cloud had ever experienced before, but he also knew it was more than simple lust he felt for the redheaded Turk. He couldn't quite put it into words, not yet, but things with Reno were much different – in a good way- than in any other prior relationship Cloud had been in.

Cloud was no virgin, to be sure, and had been with a few women prior to sleeping with Reno. _Including that failed attempt with Tifa, _he thought ruefully. He realized now, how much time he had wasted in trying to make her happy, only to find that ultimately, he never would be able to. It was time lost, time he probably could have spent being happy with Reno.

_**Hindsight is always 20/20  
But looking back it's still a bit fuzzy…**_

The Northern Crater was now within Cloud's sights, and he readied the aircraft for landing. There was no easy place to land this plane, small though it was, and Cloud wondered exactly how Cid had managed to land something as large as the _Highwind_ on such an uneven surface. _That was little over a year ago, when we were all here on the Northern Crater, facing Sephiroth_, Cloud remembered_. I can't believe this is happening again. This time, I'm all alone, though… _He was suddenly having some doubts about how wise it was to chance confronting Sephiroth, all alone.

**Coming to the Northern Crater alone – that is of your own choosing, Cloud. Your friends would have come with you, and helped you…had you simply waited for them.**

_I know that. But like I've said…this is my battle. I just feel so…alone right now. I miss Reno. Gods, how I miss Reno. There's a part of me that just wants to hide from all of this, but I just can't do that._

_**How can I feel abandoned even when the world surrounds me  
How can I bite the hand that feeds the strangers all around me  
How can I know so many  
Never really knowing anyone…**_

Cloud felt a heavy tear escape, blurring his vision slightly. He furiously wiped at it with the back of his hand, and began concentrating on landing the plane, steering the aircraft towards its descent.

_Gods, let me get through this unscathed_, Cloud prayed_. Let me accomplish what I came to do, and go back home…home to my Reno._

_I'm just a man. I'm not a hero, not really…no matter what people think. But…still, this is something I have to do, there is no real choice in the matter._

_**If I seem superhuman  
I have been  
Misunderstood…**_

* * *

It wasn't often that Rude was more talkative than Reno – actually, when Rude really thought about it, he couldn't recall one single instance where this had ever occurred. Rude was riding shotgun next to Reno in the chopper, his usual seat. The silence from Reno was dreadful. As much as Reno's prattling banter would, on occasion, irritate Rude, when it was completely absent – well, he certainly took notice.

Elena and Tseng were sitting in the back of the chopper, quietly engaged in a discussion about yoga, of all things. Rude chuckled inwardly. _Gods, Elena could be so damned obvious,_ he thought. _And Tseng's just eating this shit up. They should just get it over with and bang each other, already. _

Rude knew that Elena was just working an angle to get into Tseng's pants, so she was pretending to be interested in yoga, something Tseng had mastered many years ago, and continued to practice regularly, with great enthusiasm. Eavesdropping on their conversation, Rude overheard Elena peppering Tseng with many questions about that subject. Many _innuendo-laced_ questions.

"So, Tseng….let's talk about positions. Oh, I mean _yoga_ positions, of course!" tittered Elena.

"Of course, Elena," Tseng replied, trying to sound ever the professional. "Now, tell me about your….level of flexibility, and I can create a workout for you," Tseng replied. Rude could have sworn he picked up an almost sultry undertone to Tseng's voice….he was flirting right back. _Unbelievable._

_Gods, this is as irritating as hell_, Rude thought. Normally, Reno would have butted in right about now, with some wise-ass remark about how they should both just get a fucking room already; at which Tseng would tell Reno to can it, while Reno and Rude would be exchanging glances and sniggering…

But none of that was happening. Not today. Reno was completely silent, other than to occasionally update his fellow Turks as to how much further they had to fly.

Rude gave a small cough, and gave Reno a sideward glance. "Um, Reno…" he began hesitantly. "Are you…okay?"

Sighing, Reno replied evenly, "No , Rude. I am pretty fucking far from okay right now. I just want this over with…and I want Cloud back."

"Can you ever forgive Cloud, though, for just up and leaving like that?" Rude blurted. _Shit, I shouldn't have asked that question….fuck…_

Reno gave Rude a tired smile, and said, "Yeah. I guess I would forgive him. Rude," Reno continued, his voice wavering slightly, "I will just be so fucking happy if he's okay when we get there, you know? That's the one thing that keeps me hanging on through this." _Yes, I will forgive him…I forgave him already, honestly, _Reno thought.

Rude remained silent, as he was digesting this. He suddenly noticed that Tseng and Elena were silent as well. "Reno," Elena suddenly blurted, "I want you to know how happy I am for you, that you and Cloud found one another. And we'll get him back, I know we will. You just have to believe."

"Thank you, Laney," Reno said sincerely. "That was…really nice, yo. You know, you're a pretty cool chick when you're not being a pain in my ass." He chuckled softly.

Rude let out a small sigh of relief. _Well, Reno isn't completely gone yet_, he thought. _But he is suffering so much, with this not knowing…_

The Northern Crater was now within Reno's sights. He tensed as he approached, suddenly seeming to realize the gravity of the situation_. Fucking Sephiroth…_ "Okay, guys, we're here," he said, addressing his fellow Turks. "Rude, prepare for landing on my mark," he instructed.

Reno spotted a small plane, apparently the one Cloud had borrowed from Cid, parked at the southeast edge of the crater_. Well, at least he didn't crash the damned plane_, Reno thought. _That's a plus._

Lowering the chopper, Reno adjusted the throttle, as well as the rotor, and maneuvered the helicopter toward the southwest edge of the crater. He figured that Cid would be landing the Highwind near the northernmost edge of the crater, as the ground there was a bit more level than the southern edge.

All of the passengers in the helicopter seemed to simultaneously exhale, when the helicopter touched the cold, lifeless ground surrounding the crater.

_This is it_, Reno breathed_. Game time._

* * *

Cid was pacing, and chain smoking; two things he did frequently as a matter of course. He enjoyed the smoking, of course, the pacing – not so much . It was a direct result of his need to _go go go, _and probably the thing that got him interested in flying in the first place. Go from point A to point B, and do it fast, with no fucking around.

Tifa had called Cid about forty-five minutes prior, to let him know that she, Barret, Vincent, Yuffie, and Nanaki were en route - and Cid was starting to feel impatient after the thirty minute mark had passed. In Cid's estimation, it should take about thirty minutes flat from Edge to his airport, via car. And that…thing, that he knew Barret was driving, a quasi military-assault vehicle, could surely make better time than that. _Where the fuck are they?_ Cid thought angrily. _Do these people have no sense of fucking urgency, or what?_

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he heard a muffled sound in the distance. Finally, a vehicle was approaching – Barret's. "Fucking finally!" Cid exclaimed, as he stubbed out his cigarette. He ran out to meet the vehicle, and waved them over. "Park over there, Barret," Cid barked, pointing toward the side of a hangar.

Barret maneuvered his monstrosity of a vehicle to park it where Cid was directing him. "In 'jes a minute, we'll be on that plane, Tifa!" he shouted, a bit too joyously. The demeanor within Barret's vehicle, during the trip to Cid's, was beyond morose, and everyone's attempts to lighten the mood just weren't working. Even Yuffie's stupid jokes, which she was so obviously telling in an attempt to put everyone at ease, just weren't working.

"Think there'll be some good materia finds in the crater, Vin?" she had asked Vincent, elbowing him. Vincent sighed impatiently at this. "Yuffie, you realize…this is a rescue mission, not a treasure hunt?" he said quietly.

"Oh, I know, I know!" she snapped. "Gods, you don't have to be so freaking uptight. I just thought, that IF I so happen to find some materia on my way down the crater, well, then that'll just be an added bonus, right? Opportunity only knocks once, Vin," she smiled.

Vincent had to admit that she was right about that. _And gods, was Yuffie ever an opportunist, when it came to materia, _he thought, the hint of a smile crossing his face. His eyes widened a bit as he watched Yuffie, practically skipping, materia case in hand, trotting off, toward the _Highwind_. Yuffie was almost inappropriately cheerful, especially compared to the rest of the group – they disembarked from Barret's assault vehicle, eyes downcast, and morose in mood. _She's so young_, reasoned Vincent. _And… she thinks she's invincible. _The very idea almost made Vincent laugh out loud_. _

His thoughts were almost rudely interrupted by Cid barking orders at everyone to "get on the goddamned plane!" Vincent frowned at this, although he was well used to both Cid's foul mouth and temper by now. Tifa's face, Vincent noted, appeared completely blank, completely devoid of any expression . She trudged up the ladder to the Highwind, with not so much as a word to anyone – she hadn't really talked at all since they had left Seventh Heaven. Barret and Yuffie were, of course, complaining about Cid's lack of manners, once everyone was aboard the _Highwind_.

"You wanna get there, or what?" snapped Cid. "I'm not here to be Miss Congeniality, I'm here to fly your asses to the goddamned crater!" He softened for a moment after this outburst, and continued. "Look, I know we're all in strung-out shape here. I'll be honest, I'm worried about that damned spikey headed kid too. We'll get him back. We…have to."

With that, Cid turned on his heel abruptly, and headed up to the bridge. "Strap yourselves in, I'm going to taxi this bitch down the runway in under two minutes," Cid warned.

Vincent found a seat, and much to Yuffie's delight, it was the one next to her. He fervently hoped she wouldn't puke all over his cape, like she did the last time they flew together.

"Hey, Vin," Yuffie said somewhat weakly, as Vincent took his seat. "I'll try not to yak on you this time, okay?" She grinned at him.

"I think you just read my mind, Yuffie," he chuckled. "I was just thinking about the last time we flew together." Vincent then did something that surprised even himself – he reached over to Yuffie, and took her petite hand in his much larger, gloved hand. "It will be okay…you'll be okay."

Yuffie's eyes practically bugged out when she saw Vincent reach for her hand, and take it in his. _Yes!_ she thought, trying not to look overly gleeful at this turn of events. She was feeling shaky, as Cid was at the moment taxiing the _Highwind_ toward the runway, but tried to give Vincent a steady smile. "Thanks, Vin," Yuffie said, smiling at him. "You know, it is totally embarrassing, this motion sickness crap…but, big bad Cloud has the same problem too, you know!" She laughed, then sobered a bit upon mentioning Cloud. "Vin," she whispered, "do you really think we'll get there in time? I mean, what if-"

"No," Vincent replied firmly. "No what-ifs. We have no use for them. Cloud will prevail over Sephiroth."

Tifa overheard Vincent's comment, and sighed, settling back into her seat. "I hope you're right," she mumbled. _Gods, I hope you're right…_

* * *

He didn't remember it being this damned cold in the crater, the last time he was here. Maybe because back then, Cloud had been running on pure adrenaline. Today was different…there was more of a calm resolve to Cloud. _It's simply another job to do_, he kept telling himself. Except it wasn't 'just another job' – he had to kill someone he had already killed over a year prior; someone who had, oh by the way, come back from the dead.

_Fucking Jenova_, Cloud thought. He remembered that time, long ago, when he had thought he and Sephiroth could somehow be friends, when Cloud was a ShinRa guard. How Cloud had idolized Sephiroth, wanted to be just like him. The very thought now made him feel like wretching. _Although_, he could reason, _wasn't Hojo the real culprit in this? Sephiroth…he had no choice in what he became, Hojo made him that way. He was just…an innocent victim. _Cloud laughed aloud, thinking about the words "Sephiroth" and "innocent" being used in the same sentence. _But wasn't there some truth to that?_

The minute Cloud set foot onto the cold, desolate surface of the crater - just at that moment, he _felt_ it. Heard it…and sensed it….yet he could _see_ nothing. He continued further into the crater, down the spiraling path, that seemed to never end.

_**"Oh, Cloud. You have come to me at last. It's good to see you…Cloud."**_

Cloud shook his head, not believing what he was hearing_. Am I really hearing this, though? Or…am I…feeling it?_

He continued downward, finally reaching the bottom, mindlessly heading toward the center of the crater; down to where he instinctively knew - Sephiroth was waiting for him.

_**"Welcome home…Cloud."**_

* * *

**A/N: Whew. That was a hard one to write, mainly because I have huge stuffs planned for the next chapter, and I want to get to that part of the action right away! But, I didn't want to rush the narrative unneccessarily, it just wouldn't have worked. Also, I am really bummed about the lack of lemons at the moment, but they obviously won't fit in too well during a rescue mission. At least there is some _flirting_, right? ;) Have patience, dear readers, lemons will come in chapter 9! But...there will be a bit of a catch... **

**Oh...and I left out Cait Sith, because I figure by this point in time, Reeve has probably pulled the plug on THAT little project, and honestly - Cait Sith is a pain for me to write, because he's my least favorite character. XD**

**Please read, review and enjoy. And thanks to all who have favorited this fic - that, plus your feedback/reviews, keep this thing going! xoxoxo**


	9. The Worst That Could Happen

**WARNINGS: RAPE, non-con in the chapter ahead. Please stop reading now if this sort of content bothers you, this chapter is VERY dark. Thanks.**

**The following songs are quoted herein: "Trash" by Korn, "I Do Not Want This" by Nine Inch Nails, and "Liar" by Henry Rollins. I do not own any of them, they are quoted here only to set the mood.**

* * *

The spiraling path within the northern crater kept going down, down, down, and Cloud continued to gingerly travel that path downward, feeling his way by gripping the stones jutting out on the right hand side. As it was now dusk outside, there wasn't much ambient light to speak of from above. Cloud noted an almost opaque glow down below, but it wasn't terribly bright. It was an almost greenish blue sort of light_. Reminds me of a mako fountain_, Cloud thought. _Weird_.

Cloud knew, of course, that Sephiroth was there, within the depths of the crater, but he also felt him…heard him, yet still couldn't see him. He adjusted the fusion sword he had sheathed over his back. Touching the hilt of the sword, Cloud briefly thought of his Buster Sword, bequeathed to him by Zack Fair, who had been given it by Angeal. _Zack_, Cloud whispered. _If you're out there…please, help me. I don't know if I can do this by myself._

_Sure you can, Cloud. You did it once already, right? This should be a cinch._

_Yeah. I guess so. Zack….thank you. I won't let you down._

_I know you won't. Oh, and Cloud? You need to learn…to forgive yourself. I know you know what I mean._

Cloud sighed. "I know, Zack," he said aloud. "I know. But it's easier said than done."

"**Talking to yourself again, are we….Cloud**?" came a mocking voice from the dark depths of the crater. _Sephiroth._

Cloud tensed at the sound. Yes, there WAS an actual sound that time, he knew it – it wasn't just in his head. "Sephiroth! I've come to put an end to this!" Cloud shouted into the darkness.

He then heard a bored-sounding laugh. "Really, Cloud?" the voice taunted. "Guess it didn't work in your…favor last time, did it." Pausing, the voice then continued, in its same mocking tone . "Oh, by the way, Cloud…Reno's here with me… he'd like to say hello."

Cloud stopped his descent and stood completely still, horrified. "NO!" he screamed, charging blindly down the dimly lit path, tripping and scrabbling over rocks and debris, while Sephiroth – yes, it was definitely Sephiroth, because who else could be so inhuman? – laughed cruelly and humorlessly, the sound ricocheting off of the walls of the spiraling path. "_**No, goddamn you, not Reno**_!" Cloud screamed, enraged. Holding his sword at the ready in his left hand, Cloud continued charging down, tripping, barely even seeing where he was going. He nearly fell several times as he was making his descent, scrabbling along the sides of the spiraling path, grabbing onto any handhold he could make out in the murky darkness.

_Oh gods, Reno…this is just what I was trying to prevent_, Cloud cried inwardly. _How did this happen? How did you get here before I did? Please…please, just let him be okay. Goddamn you, Sephiroth!_

* * *

The Turks had disembarked from the chopper. Tseng and Elena were unloading their weapons and material from the back, while Reno and Rude got out and surveyed the environment. Reno went up to the small plane that Cloud had been piloting. Touching the hull, he noted that the engine was still warm; that meant Cloud had landed the aircraft fairly recently.

"Hey, Rude," Reno began. "Maybe we should contact the others, let them know we've landed on the crater. Can you text Tifa real quick?"

"Sure thing," Rude agreed. "I'll do it now." Rude fished in his jacket pocket for his cell phone, while Reno was nosing around the edge of the crater.

_Tifa, we're on the crater now_, Rude stated in his text. _Just getting weapons and such unloaded. What's your ETA?_

Reno was the first to approach the edge of the crater. He could almost make out Cloud's footprints in the rocky soil surrounding the crater's perimeter. _Oh gods_, he thought, heart in his throat. "I'm coming for you, Cloud," Reno said aloud. He thought he…heard something coming from below, a low muttering voice, or something. _But whose voice is it? Sephiroth's? _He decided to take a closer look, and kneeled down at the mouth of the crater, peering down into the spiraling path, trying to see its end, but only seeing blackest depths.

Tifa replied almost immediately to Rude's text; his cell phone gave a soft _ding_, indicating the incoming message. _We are nearing the crater right now,_ Tifa's text began. _Passing over Bone Village, Cid gives an ETA of about fifteen to twenty minutes. Don't wait for us, go find Cloud. We'll catch up to you._

Rude pocketed his cell phone once again, and saw that Elena and Tseng were now approaching, laden with weapons and materia. "Here, let me give you a hand with that," Rude offered, taking a bazooka that Elena had slung over her shoulder. "Reno," Tseng called to him. "What's going on, any signs of Cloud?"

"Still looking," Reno muttered, without looking up. He was trying in vain to listen, to see if he would hear that whispering…or whatever that ethereal sounding voice was, once again. _It would certainly help if everyone would just shut up_, he thought irritably.

Then, he heard it. Faintly, oh so faintly…a voice. **Cloud's voice. **And then…Reno heard Cloud calling his name. _"…Reno!.._." came Cloud's anguished scream from below.

Reno sprang up immediately, yelling at the top of his lungs, "Fuck, fuck, fuck, shit, fuck, goddammit, Ruuuuuuude! _HELP ME OVER HERE!_ Cloud's down there, I can hear him! Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck…" he babbled.

The remaining Turks rushed over to Reno, questioning looks on their faces. "I heard him," Reno explained, in a hoarse voice. "He was calling my name….he was screaming, as if he was in pain….oh Gaia. Help me, Rude, help me get down there." Reno paused, catching his breath, and trying his damnedest to prevent himself from tearing up.

"I need a zipline, yo," Reno told Rude. "Need to get to the bottom immediately, I'm not fucking pussyfooting around with this goddamn path, okay?" he snapped.

"You need backup, Reno," Tseng interrupted. "I'll go—"

"Tseng!" Reno cried in frustration. "Please don't fuck around with this! You know what I need to do!"

Patiently, Tseng nodded. "I know, Reno," he said sympathetically. "I'm going with you, though, I've got your back. Elena, Rude," he commanded. "Get us two zip lines if you would, we'll need those secured and tethered, so Reno and I can rappel down the sides of the crater here."

Facing Reno, Tseng grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing Reno to look him in the eye. "Look, Reno," Tseng said softly. "I'm on your side here, remember that. I just want to make sure nobody gets hurt…or worse."

"I know, Tseng, I know," Reno replied sadly. "I just feel so…fucking helpless right now, I need to _do_ something, yo."

"I know that, Reno," said Tseng. "So we'll do this: Elena and Rude will stay up here, while we rappel down to the bottom; then they will follow suit, and rappel down after we reach the bottom. From there, we'll regroup, and try to pick up Cloud's trail down there."

"Okay, Tseng, okay," Reno breathed, inhaling a huge gulp of air, in an attempt to steady his nerves. "Sorry that I….went off on you like that, yo," he apologized.

"Don't mention it," smiled Tseng. "It's completely understandable that you're upset. All right then," he continued, as he grabbed his zip line, "ready to go, Reno?"

"Yeah. Ready," Reno replied, in a calmer tone, hands grasping the zip line. "Let's roll."

Tseng and Reno carefully steadied themselves on the perimeter of the cavernous opening, grabbing the line firmly with both hands. "I'll go first Reno, " Tseng volunteered, "give me about a minute head start, then you proceed."

"Okay," Reno agreed reluctantly. He really wanted nothing more than to jump into that black hole, precautions be damned, but again, he knew his emotions were getting ahead of him_. Better off letting Tseng take point on this,_ he thought ruefully. _I'm about to fucking lose it here myself._

Reno stood back, watching Tseng carefully lower himself into the pit. He wanted nothing more than to rappel down now, _right_ now, with or without the goddamned rope. Reno was trying to steel himself; he felt himself growing frantic after hearing Cloud [_but was it really Cloud?_] cry out his name. He hated feeling like this, losing control of his emotions; behavior most unbecoming to a hardened Turk like himself. _I can't help it,_ Reno thought miserably. _Cloud has my heart. How else would I feel?_

Looking down at his watch, Reno noted that one minute had finally elapsed, since Tseng began his descent. "Time for me to go," he told Elena and Rude. "You follow us down, yo. We'll wait for you to reach the bottom, then we'll check our weapons and proceed," Reno commanded. "Got it?" He felt a bit more in control of things when he was barking out orders. _Gotta suck it up_, Reno thought. _Shit, why do I feel like I'm about to fucking lose it?_

"Crystal clear," replied Elena. "See you in a few, Reno."

Reno prayed again, to whatever deity might be listening, and began his descent down the zip line. _Breathe…just…breathe_, Reno thought. _Cloud has to be okay. Because I can't even fucking deal with thinking about the alternative right now._

* * *

Tifa was out of her seat and pacing aboard the _Highwind_, despite Cid's very vocal, and suggestions that she "sit in your goddamned seat." The closer they got to the Northern Crater, the more Tifa's nerves were on edge_. It's different this time_, she thought. _For one thing – we're not together._ She took some comfort in Rude's last text to her, which she kept reading over and over again, just because it was something to do…and it made her feel better. A little, anyway.

"Tifa, I'm not gonna tell you again," snapped Cid. "Take your goddamned seat, I'm landing this bitch on the crater in about 10 minutes!"

"You know, Cid, you 'jes need to cool it! Tifa'll sit down in a minute, so just shaddup!" Barret snapped irritably. _Gods, if we didn't need that foul mouthed bastard to land the plane, I'd be usin' my gun-arm on his ass, _Barret thought. He decided not to press things any further, because they really did need Cid at the moment, to land the plane.

"Sorry," Tifa apologized softly. "It's hard for me to….think straight, I guess. Oh, Cid?" she began, as she took her seat and began fastening her seat belt, "I just thought of something. How'd you know before, about Sephiorth being back?"

"Huh?" Cid replied, distracted. "What are you talking about?" He sounded quite puzzled.

"I mean," said Tifa evenly, "when I mentioned that Cloud was at the Northern Crater, you immediately thought it was about Sephiroth. Except I hadn't told you about that part…yet."

_Uh oh. _Cid knew now what Tifa was driving at. Sighing, he admitted, "Okay. I may have taken a small peek at that letter from Cloud to Reno…so, that's how I knew about Sephiroth. "

Cid was met with more than a few disgusted glances from his fellow passengers. "I'm sorry!" he protested. Tifa simply shook her head, and remained silent, frowning at Cid. _Gaia, that was low_, she thought_, even for Cid. _Tifa decided that now was not the best time to press the issue, but she was definitely going to give Cid what-for later on. _Afterward….after we find Cloud._

"Geez, Cid!" Yuffie exclaimed. "That was a wicked crappy thing to do. Jerk," she sniffed, tucking her hand further into Vincent's gloved hand_. She hadn't let go once during the flight_, Vincent noticed with mild amusement. _Surprising, but I don't really mind. I've grown…accustomed to her. Strange, that. _

Looking over, Vincent noticed poor Nanaki trying to uncomfortably sit in an airplane seat, clearly made for humans and not quadrupeds. Struggling to remain seated without falling out of the seat, Nanaki finally grunted in disgust, and padded off toward the bridge. _Better to lay down on the floor anyway_, he thought, _with the way Cid lands a plane. _Nanaki took his place near the side of a control panel, hoping fervently he wouldn't be jostled around too much during the landing.

"Okay, guys," said Cid, a little more quietly – and remorseful sounding – than usual. "We're approaching the crater, might feel a bit of a bump when we touch ground, please brace yourselves." He was feeling quite ashamed over reading Cloud's letter. Cid resolved to hand the letter over to Tifa once they landed_. She should be the one to give it to Reno_, he thought_. Especially if it ends up being…the last thing Cloud ever writes._

_Can't think that way, _Cid mused_. But I've got a very bad feeling about this…_

* * *

Cloud was blind with fury as he fought his way down to the bottom, to where _that voice_ was originating from. His former calm resolved had dissolved into outright rage_. Sephiroth had better not lay one fucking hand on Reno_, he thought. _Not one fucking hand. I will cut him down, forever._

"Ah, Cloud…you're so cute when you're angry," the voice teased. It was closer, the voice; definitely closer.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud shouted angrily, fisting his sword even more tightly. "Show yourself! I know you're out here, you bastard!" He was gripping the fusion sword with such force, that his hand was actually starting to ache_. I will crush you, Sephiroth. And gods help you if you have harmed Reno in any way, I will fucking destroy you._

Cloud finally reached a clearing at the bottom of the forked path. There, just as he had been over a year prior, was Sephiroth, eyes closed, giving the appearance of sleep – and he was encased in what appeared to be crystallized mako. Cloud charged forward with his sword held high, and giving an anguished cry, brought his sword down on Sephiroth's mako cocoon, causing chips of it to fly off. Several of the mako chips struck Cloud in the face, stinging him. "Goddamn you, Sephiroth!" shouted Cloud. "Where is Reno, you bastard, where is he? You fucking answer me, you fucking shit!"

Slowly and calmly, Sephiroth opened his eyes, gazing directly at Cloud, his lips curling into a cynical smile. He shuddered, and the mako cocoon suddenly shimmered, the hardened crystal instantly dissolving into liquid. It seeped in a pool around Sephioth's feet. Standing to his full height, Sephiroth shook his head around, whipping the still-damp strands of his silver hair about his head, which clung to his naked chest and back haphazardly. "Good to see you again…Cloud," he taunted. "But I am puzzled. What is this about Reno?" he asked, moving ever closer toward Cloud, who stood his ground in a defensive stance, sword raised and ready to strike again.

"You know damned well what I'm talking about," snapped Cloud. "You took Reno, I know you did – where is he!"

Sephiroth chuckled. "Oh, Cloud. It was all too easy to get you down here," he said mockingly. "I don't have Reno. I have no idea where he is." Sephiroth started to laugh, clutching his sides as he did so. "Ha ha ha, Cloud! So, so gullible you are."

Cloud felt his resolve slipping a bit. Was Reno really somewhere safe? _Gaia, I hope so_, Cloud thought. _But Sephiroth could still be lying…_

"No, Cloud," Sephiroth said breathlessly, inching even closer toward Cloud. "I'm not lying. Not this time. Besides, what is Reno to you anyway? Is he your…._lover_, Cloud?" Sephiroth laughed again, mockingly.

_That's it. You are fucking done_, Cloud thought. Charging toward Sephiroth, Cloud raised his weapon over his head, intending to bring it clean across Sephiroth's neck, to decapitate him. Sephiroth's right hand suddenly flew up – he held no weapon, but moved his hand in an upward motion. Suddenly, Cloud could no longer control himself – he was almost levitating, suspended in midair – and Sephiroth seemed to be moving him wherever he wanted. Swiping his hand violently toward the right, in the direction of a row of stalactites, Cloud's body followed suit. He was slammed into the stalactites furiously, his fusion sword falling to the ground. "What…are…you…doing to me," Cloud gasped. "I can't…fight…it….oh gods." He felt completely paralyzed, whatever Sephiroth was doing to him, rendered him completely immovable. Cloud tried moving his arms and legs, to no avail. He was trapped within his own body, and there was nothing he could do to help himself.

Sephiroth chuckled, standing over Cloud. "Oh, poor Cloud," he mocked. Cloud glared at Sephiroth, then gasped – he seemed to suddenly be aware of Sephiroth's complete nudity, which was even more obvious now that Sephiorth was sporting an enormous erection.

He chuckled, aware of exactly where Cloud's gaze was stationed. "Like what you see….Cloud?" purred Sephiroth. "I bet I can make you come better than that Turk of yours," he taunted.

"No!" cried Cloud. "Don't you touch me!" He tried wrestling out of this paralytic, invisible hold that Sephiroth had over him, but the effort was futile, fruitless.

Kneeling over Cloud, Sephiorth ran his long fingers over Cloud's crotch. "Don't worry, Cloud," Sephiroth crooned, "this will hurt me more than it hurts you." He began to slowly unbuckle Cloud's belt, unzipping the pants, and sliding them down, pulling them off. He tossed them into a heap, near the pile of broken stalactites that he had just thrown Cloud into.

"Absolutely delicious," Sephiroth whispered, eyeing Cloud's cock. "You are mine, Cloud….always, you are mine. Nobody else's. "

Sephiroth slithered down, laying on top of Cloud, forcing Cloud's legs over his shoulders. Raising his head to the heavens, Sephiroth positioned his enormous cock near Cloud's tight hole, and violently thrusted, impaling Cloud upon him. "Oh yes, Cloud, yes," growled Sephiroth. "You are so fucking tight, Cloud….oh, how I have longed for this, to fill you up, more than anyone ever could."

_**How did it start?  
Well, I don't know  
I just feel the craving  
I see the flesh and it smells fresh  
And it's just there for the taking.**_

"No," Cloud whimpered. "No, no, no…" The pain came in waves with each thrust; Sephiroth was enormous, and wasn't exactly being gentle with Cloud.

"Yes, Cloud. Give into it, you know you want this," Sephiroth moaned. "You know you want…me."

_**don't you tell me how I feel  
don't you tell me how I feel  
don't you tell me how I feel  
you don't know just how I feel**_

"Gaia, no!" Cloud cried. "Oh gods….Reno…" Cloud's voice trailed off as he lapsed in and out of consciousness, but Sephiroth did not cease with his thrusting. He actually quickened his pace, once he saw Cloud's eyes close; knowing that Cloud was weakening, and could not fight back only served to excite him further. He was delectable, this angelic blond, lying helpless beneath him. "Oh Cloud….how I love you. And how I hate you," Sephiroth whispered, moving his mouth on top of Cloud's, kissing his unresponsive lips.

"We could be so happy, Cloud, you and I," Sephiroth said. "Together like this…forever," he moaned, cupping Cloud's shoulders and crushing him to his chest, continuing his thrusts.

_**I'll tear your mind out  
I'll burn your soul  
I'll turn you into me  
I'll turn you into me**_

"You will be mine," Sephiroth growled, as Cloud's head rolled about lifelessly with each of Sephiroth's thrust. "All mine. You will remember no name but mine_. I own you completely_."

Cloud was conscious enough at this point to hear the last phrase that Sephiorth uttered. He felt his mind shatter, it was almost a tangible sensation; as if his brain gave off electric impulses that prickled at his scalp. As he drifted back into sweet unconsciousness, the last coherent thought Cloud would remember, was the feeling that he was floating above his body_. My soul_, Cloud mused with wonderment,_ I feel like...I can just reach out for it, and touch it...it's right there_..._it's like a kaleidoscope…so beautiful..so….perfect…__gods, am I dead? Am I…is this heaven?_

…_Reno…I'm sorry Reno…so sorry I failed you...I love you…_

* * *

Nearing the center of the crater, the Turks were getting nowhere fast. Out of the darkness, a dragon appeared, taking everyone but Tseng by surprise. Everyone's nerves were on edge, and they were not as attuned to their surroundings as they should have been. _Understandable for Reno_, Rude thought, _but that made me and Elena look bad. Really bad…we have to step up our game, stay on our toes._

Tseng and Reno were in the front line, doing battle with the dragon, while Elena and Rude provided healing and defense magic where necessary. "Shit!" yelled Reno, after dodging yet another fireball from the dragon. "Where the fuck is the water based materia, Elena?"

"Didn't have any available, I'm afraid!" Elena yelled back, as she cast Barrier and MBarrier on Reno and Tseng.

"Well, that's just fucking great," Reno said bitterly. "I bet Rufus kept all that good shit for himself, am I right, Tseng?"

"Probably," Tseng replied briefly. "Rude….we're going to tag team this attack. On my go, you and Elena switch off with Reno and myself. We have sufficient cure material to heal you, but you'll have to cast your own defense magic, understood?"

"Got it, boss," replied Rude. "Awaiting your signal."

"One…two….three….GO!" Tseng shouted. The two pairs of Turks switched places, with Tseng nearly getting hit with the end of the dragon's tail as he ran. _This dragon was getting pissed_, Reno noted. _Gaia, he's just not going down without a goddamned fight._

* * *

The passengers of the _Highwind_ had disembarked shortly after Cid's somewhat bumpy landing, and were making their way down the right fork of the path, after navigating their way to the bottom of the spiraling path.

"Well, it's not like I didn't warn ya," Cid laughed shortly after touching down. "Told ya it'd be a pain in the ass landing the _Highwind_ on this rock! But we're here now," Cid continued soberly, "and I got somethin' to say."

Tifa stopped in her tracks, eyeing Cid suspiciously. He was definitely not in her good books at the moment, after that shit he had pulled, reading Cloud's letter to Reno. She actually hadn't uttered one word to Cid since his revelation.

"Well?" Tifa demanded, hands on her hips. "Guys," Cid addressed the group, "I did something real shitty before, and I'm not proud of it. So…I'm sorry. And, I'm gonna apologize to Cloud too, when I see him," he concluded.

"Very well, Cid," replied Vincent calmly. "I think we all appreciate your…sentiment, and your apology. But you'll need to apologize to Reno as well, I think."

"Oh shit," groaned Cid, realizing that Vincent was right. "Yeah. Well, I gotta do it, right?"

A low growl suddenly came from Nanaki. "Hold it, everyone," he spoke quietly. The others all tensed, each unconsciously reaching for their weapons.

"What is it, Nanaki? I don't…see anything," puzzled Yuffie, gripping her shuriken. She glanced back at Vincent, who nodded. "Yes….I sense it too, Nanaki," Vincent said, his hand traveling over the handle of Cerberus.

"What is it?" Tifa inquired worriedly. "I don't see any monsters around here…"

"It's just ahead," Nanaki warned. "Beyond that curve in the path. A dragon, I think. And…"

Vincent sniffed the air. "There are others there," he said, finishing Nanaki's thought. "Humans. Perhaps….Cloud, perhaps the Turks…"

"Then let's go, what the hell are we waiting for? Our friends may need our help!" Yuffie yelled, charging ahead, shuriken poised over her head.

Vincent felt Chaos shift within him. "No, Yuffie!" Vincent hissed. Before anyone could figure out what was going on, Vincent swept his cape around him in a crimson swirl, and….vanished.

"Well, that's just fucking great," muttered Barret. "Guess we'll be providing backup for those two knuckleheads." He adjusted his gun arm, and inserted some summon materia into it.

"Business as usual," agreed Cid, hoisting his harpoon over his shoulder. Nanaki padded ahead a bit, and catching Tifa's eye, nodded to her, motioning her toward him with his nose.

"Yes, Nanaki?" Tifa said, running to catch up to him.

"Tifa," I can sense four humans there….and one dragon, possibly two. But there's something else I sense," Nanaki said, frowning.

"What's that, Nanaki?" Tifa asked, trembling. She had a feeling it wasn't good news, with how troubled Nanaki looked.

"I'm also sensing that…someone has returned to the Planet." He cast his eyes downward, whimpering. "I'm sorry Tifa," he whined, "perhaps I should not have told you…yet."

Fighting back tears, Tifa replied shakily, "No, Nanaki….it's….it's okay, I'm glad you told me. But oh gods….it's not Cloud, is it?" She couldn't hold back any longer, and began sobbing.

"Tifa!" Barret barked, upon seeing her break down. "What's going on? Nanaki, what'd you tell her?"

"Barret," Tifa sobbed. "It's….it's Cloud. We might be too late…Nanaki thinks he….or someone, anyway….might have returned to the Planet. But who else could it be, but Cloud?"

"Well," Barret replied stubbornly, "You know, it could very well be Sephiroth. Why you automatically think it's Cloud? Maybe he kicked that bastard's ass again, you know?"

"Yeah," Tifa sniffed. "Yeah, you're right, you're right, I know you're right."

Cid stood nearby, wordlessly. _Damn_, he thought_. I hope Nanaki was wrong…_

"Let's stop standing aroun' here like fools," grumbled Barret. "Let's move along and see if Yuffie and Vincent are okay!"

Nanaki, who had run a bit further ahead, howled to get everyone's attention. "Over here!" he panted. "I found them, up ahead - they're assisting the Turks. Vincent has already….transformed," he warned the group.

"No time like the present," Cid barked. "Let's move our sorry asses, come on!" The trio broke into a sprint to catch up with Nanaki. "Come on," Nanaki urged. "They're about a hundred feet ahead, let's move!"

Rounding the corner, Tifa noticed immediately that Tseng appeared to have an injury to his shoulder; he was moving it gingerly, while Elena was casting FullCure on him. Reno was bleeding from a cut over his eye, and Elena's left sleeve had been burned completely off, no doubt by the dragon's fiery breath. The only one who appeared unscathed, was Rude, standing there silently, until he saw Tifa run up. "Oh gods, Tifa," he called, as she ran to him. "You don't know how good it is to see you right now," he said, hugging her tightly and kissing her hair. "We just got our asses handed to us," he admitted.

Glancing over to where the battle was still going on, the others noted that Yuffie and Vincent seemed to be handling things quite well together. Vincent had transformed into Chaos, and Yuffie was casting Trine on the beast, who was almost completely felled at this point.

With one more flick of her shuriken, Yuffie sliced it cleanly up across the top of its head, and defeated the beast, who fell to the ground with a final, guttural groan. Grinning, she noticed the others standing back watching. "Didja see that?" she yelled excitedly. "I kicked that dragon's ass!"

"Yes, Yuffie," smiled Tifa. "That was well done. Is Vincent…okay, though?"

Yuffie frowned, and began to approach Vincent, who was still in the form of Chaos, but slowly reverting back to his human form. "Vin?" she began hesitantly, reaching her hand out to him. "Anything I can do?"

"Don't touch me," Vincent snapped. "Get away. Please," he pleaded. "You don't…need to see this, Yuffie, just…please. Nobody need to see this," he whispered sadly.

"Oh shut up, Vincent," Yuffie said irritably. She stroked Chaos' wing, causing Vincent to flinch_. I'm a monster…yet she touches me, willingly_, he thought in bewilderment.

"Yuffie," Vincent/Chaos pleaded, pain in his eyes. "Why? Why do you care so much?"

Yuffie sighed, rolling her eyes. "Gods, Vincent, you really are thick. You really have no idea, do you?" she demanded.

Vincent/Chaos shrugged. "I can't imagine what…a beautiful young ninja like you, would want with a monster like me."

Yuffie blinked back a few stray tears. _You will not make me cry, you stubborn old son of a bitch. _"It's because, you idiot," she told Vincent, her voice trembling, "….it's because I love you."

"Oh Yuffie," Vincent sighed. "You can't possibly mean that." He felt Chaos starting to leave his consciousness, he was slowly becoming himself again.

_Tell her how you feel_, urged Chaos.

"I can't," Vincent whispered.

_But you must_, Chaos insisted.

"But how?" asked Vincent.

"Who the hell are you talking to, goddamnit!" snapped Yuffie.

Sighing again, Vincent threw his cape back around his shoulders, and turned to face Yuffie. He stood nearly a foot taller than the petite ninja. Vincent framed her face with his hands, his gloved finger tracing the outline of her eyebrow. "Yuffie," Vincent began, "your feelings are not…unrequited."

Yuffie smiled, but protested. "Geez, Vin! Can't you just say you love me too, instead of this unrequited bullshit?" she laughed.

Vincent smiled – a real smile, something that Yuffie had never seen before in her life. _Gods, he is so beautiful when he smiles_…she thought.

"Yuffie," Vincent said solemnly, "I love you too." Cupping her chin, he kissed her fervently. "We'll continue this later," he promised, smiling down at her. "Let's attend to our friends here, first."

"Agreed," said Yuffie simply. She broke away from Vincent, and ran over to where Tifa and the others were helping to heal the Turks.

* * *

"So, um," began Cid, addressing Reno, "here's the um…letter." He handed it over to Reno, who accepted it with downcast eyes. "Thanks, yo," he said quietly. "I, um…want to read this alone." He turned to leave.

"Wait," Cid stopped him. "I um…need to apologize about something, Reno," Cid stammered. "I…"

"Well?" What is it?" demanded Reno, sounding tired. "I don't have time to fuck around, yo, I'm going to read this, and I'm going to keep on looking for Cloud."

"I know, I know," said Cid. "I just wanted to apologize…because I kind of peeked at your letter, Reno."

Reno's eyes flashed sapphire with anger. "You did what? That was…really shitty, yo. I'm not happy about that," he continued, "but I don't have time to dwell on shit like that, either." He trudged off to find a quiet corner in which to read Cloud's letter. "Give me a minute to read this, guys," Reno pleaded wearily.

"Of course," everyone murmured in agreement. Tifa asked Tseng quietly, "So…how is Reno holding up?" Tseng was grimacing, Elena was busily bandaging his shoulder that had a fairly deep claw mark from the dragon. "Not great, Tifa," Tseng admitted. "He's been quiet…really quiet. And you know that 'quiet' and 'Reno' don't generally go together."

Tifa nodded in understanding. "I know. And that's not the worst of it," she said, thinking of Nanaki's recent observation about someone returning to the Planet.

"Nanaki…knows something," Tifa said sadly. "When we were back there, he told me—"

Suddenly Nanaki ran up to the group excitedly. "Tifa!" he whooped. "He's alive! Cloud is still alive!"

Reno jumped to his feet upon hearing this, folding the letter back up, and placing it inside his jacket pocket. He had not quite finished reading it, and was starting to tear up just seeing Cloud's square-ish handwriting splayed on the paper. Reno decided he would finish reading the letter later on, after hearing Nanaki out. "What is going on, yo?" he demanded, frowning. "What do you mean, Nanaki?"

"I mean," Nanaki explained patiently, "that earlier I had…sensed someone…and I do believe it was Cloud…had returned to the Planet. But now, I'm sensing that this same soul….has returned to the realm of the living," he concluded happily.

Vincent came over upon hearing Nanaki's observation. "Yes," he agreed. "I sense it as well. However," Vincent cautioned. "This is a soul who has….died and returned. They could be…extremely weakened, or still near death. We must proceed with caution."

Reno was not quite elated at this news – but he was definitely pleased. This sounded positive, and it was all he needed to hear; the one bit of hope that had been lacking during this entire journey into the crater, and he seized upon it with fervor. "Come on, yo, let's go!" he urged almost cheerily, slinging his EMR back over his shoulder.

"Reno, hold up," cautioned Tseng. "Let's proceed as a group, and not rush ahead, please."

"Okay, boss-man," Reno agreed. "Sorry, yo. Getting carried away. That was the first bit of somewhat positive news I've heard all day."

They all regrouped, and trudged further toward the dead center of the crater. Reno continued to feel cautiously optimistic. He didn't want to let himself feel too hopeful, but the fact that both Nanaki and Vincent sensed someone…someone that Nanaki believed to be Cloud…well, that all seemed like positive news to Reno.

Barret felt like a fifth wheel all of a sudden. Reno had Cloud, Tifa had Rude…and, he noted with amusement, it seemed like Yuffie and Vincent now had each other. _Never would've thought those two….together?_ Barret puzzled over this for a moment, then, shrugging his shoulders, followed the group along the path.

* * *

Tifa, Rude, and Elena had taken the lead, and the trio suddenly found themselves in the dead center of the crater…where Sephiroth had, until recently, been sleeping in a crystallized mako cocoon. Looking across an open area, where several toppled stalactites were in bits all over the ground, Tifa suddenly saw the familiar shock of blond, spiked hair – against a background of silvery white strands of hair. _Cloud. And Sephiroth. We've..found them. _It was hard to see from where they were standing, but it appeared to Tifa that they were…reclining somehow, or prone. She quietly let Rude and Elena know she had seen Cloud; Tifa thought it'd be unwise to simply give this information to Reno right away; undoubtedly he'd rush in there throwing caution to the wind. Besides, Tifa reasoned, Reno is right behind us anyway.

"Tseng!" Elena hissed. She had seen the two figures too, and was trying to quietly alert him, without revealing their location.

The group drew ever closer, and the scene before them became more visible, as the distance between Cloud, Sephiroth, and them closer. There was movement…._oh gods_, Tifa realized, _he is raping Cloud._ _And Cloud…is not fighting him…there's no way he can be conscious. Oh gods…_

"Rude!" Tifa hissed. "Rude, we cannot let Reno see this!"

Sidling up behind Tifa, Reno drawled, "Can't let Reno see what, missy?" he grinned.

His grin quickly faded when he saw exactly where Tifa's line of sight was focused. _The animal…that fucking animal is RAPING my Cloud. _The rage he felt began boiling up, like fire up his spine, lighting his entire face, out to his limbs. Yes, he felt like he was on fire with anger, but he was also cold. Cold enough to know he had to be stealthy as all hell. Slowly positioning his EMR to where he could easily switch it on, when the time came, Reno advanced. Looking back at the others, he waved to them to wait there, holding his finger to his lips, to silence them. The group protested this, wanting to assist, but Reno waved off their concerns.

No. He had to take Sephiroth by surprise. It sickened Reno to realize, he was using the fact that Sephiroth was sufficiently distracted by the act of raping Cloud to his advantage; it enabled Reno to move stealthily, and thus far, undetected.

Creeping along the cave wall, Reno slithered ever closer to where Sephiroth was lying on the ground with Cloud, limbs entangled. Cloud was unconscious, Reno noted. _He's fucking unconscious! What kind of fucking animal does that! _he thought angrily.

Reno slowly positioned his EMR, lining it up with Sephiroth's ass. The sight of his buttocks dipping in and out, as he continued to thrust into an unconscious Cloud, sickened Reno to the point where he felt he might vomit; or pass out, or any number of things.

_Strong_, he told himself, _stay strong. I will end this…I will end this suffering for you…Cloud._

Reno moved like a bat out of hell, thrusting the EMR up Sephiroth's ass while switching the electricity to high. "You fucker! Get off of my boyfriend, you fucking animal!" Reno cried, shoving the EMR in even further. His arm felt practically numb, as he felt the electricity coursing through the EMR.

Sephiorth let loose a guttural moan. He was in pain. "Good, you fucker! Does that hurt, you piece of fucking shit?" Reno turned the electricity up to the maximum level. "FUCK YOU, SEPHIROTH!"

Suddenly, Reno noticed Sephiroth shudder, and his one black wing burst out of his back. "I will own you forever, Cloud! You are MINE, in every sense of the word," Sephiroth cried. Cradling his wing around his body, Sephiroth shuddered again, and dissolved completely, into a pile of feathers. Cloud fell lifelessly to the ground again, just as Sephiroth disappeared.

"Where the fuck did he go?" Reno wondered. He quickly rushed over to Cloud, who was semi-conscious, and moaning. "Unnnhh," he murmured. "Hurts," he whispered. "Everything…hurts."

"Shh, baby, I'm here, Reno's here," he crooned to Cloud, cradling his head.

Quizzical blue eyes looked up at Reno. "Who are you?" Cloud asked.

_No….Gaia, no…I can't take this_, thought Reno_. Gods, Cloud, what else did that fucking animal do to you? _"I'm Reno, honey," he told Cloud soothingly. "And you're Cloud - you're the love of my life," he continued, smiling down on Cloud, "…please tell me you remember me, please…"

The others had rushed over to Reno, after seeing Sephiroth apparently vanish into feathers and thin air. "Oh my gods," sobbed Tifa, upon seeing Cloud looking around at everyone, clearly not recognizing them. "Oh Cloud." Cid actually felt himself growing nauseated, after witnessing Sephiroth's attack on Cloud. "I never saw anything like that before in my life," he remarked to Barret, "and I hope to never see anything like that again."

"I heard that," muttered Barret in agreement. He, too, had been shaken to the core by what he had just seen.

"Ruuuuude," cried Reno, "I need you over here, yo. I need a blanket here for Cloud, first off. Can't we cover him up, for Gaia's sake?" he snapped. Suddenly Reno lost it. He broke down sobbing sloppily, while Cloud merely stared up at him, bewildered. Cloud felt badly; clearly he meant something to this man – yet he could not remember one thing about him. There was a lot he couldn't' remember, including his name, although the redheaded man had told him it was "Cloud."

"R-reno?" Cloud began hesitantly. "Did I say that right?" he smiled.

Bloodshot eyes looked over at Cloud. "Yeah, you did," Reno replied, smiling weakly at Cloud. "Gods, Cloud, I wish you could remember. Maybe you hit your head or something?"

Cloud knitted his brows together, and felt his head for any bumps. "Hmm, that's possible, I guess," he said. "I'll tell you what really hurts though, is this," he stated, pointing at his ass.

A lump formed in Reno's throat. "Yeah, that would um…stand to reason, given what's happened to you. Tseng!" Reno shouted. "Do you have your medical kit?"

Rushing over, Tseng produced some bandages and cure materia. "Reno," Tseng said quietly, "I hate to have to do this, but…"

"But _what_, Tseng? What _MORE_ can you throw my way today, yo?" Reno said bitterly.

"Reno, I need…to get Cloud back to headquarters. I'll need to get a rape kit," he explained.

"Oh, Gaia," Reno sobbed. "Oh, Laney!" he cried, suddenly noticing Elena standing nearby, silently crying. "It's okay, Reno, it's okay," she cried, hugging Reno. "He's alive, right? At least he's alive."

"Tseng," Reno continued hoarsely, "I know, the rape kit... it's procedure, but….oh gods. I just…can't think about it. I just…I just can't," he wept.

"I will handle it," Tseng told Reno firmly. "But let's get Cloud out of here as quickly as possible. He's gone through a great trauma, and obviously will need medical attention…"

Addressing the rest of the group, who were standing around in various states of shock, or crying, Tseng asked, "Is there anything we can use around here…to make a stretcher?" he asked.

"Yuffie and I can fashion something," Vincent volunteered. Yuffie was uncharacteristically silent, her bottom lip trembling. "Oh gods," she spluttered, "oh Cloud….Reno…I'm so sorry."

"Why is that girl sorry for me?" Cloud questioned Reno innocently, looking up at him for an answer.

_Oh Gaia, he really doesn't know what happened to him, does he_, thought Reno. _Maybe that's…for the best. I don't know….I don't know anything anymore._

"Look, Cloud, it's like this," Reno explained patiently. "You were…attacked, by this…bad guy, Sephiroth…"

"Sephiroth?" Cloud interrupted. "That name sounds familiar, I think I know him. Do I know him, Reno?" he questioned, knitting his brows together in puzzlement.

"Yeah," replied Reno dryly. "You know him. Look…there's a lot you don't seem to remember, but I'm going to help you. After you get medical attention for your….um, in case you hit your head or something," Reno stammered.

"Reno," Vincent called, walking a stretcher over to where Cloud was laying on the ground, Tifa and Yuffie both helping him to carry the large stretcher over. "We were able to come up with this…I hope it will suffice." The stretcher was comprised of several large pieces of wood – tree trunks, really – lashed together with thick rope. "It won't be soft, but it will serve the purpose."

"Thank you, Vincent," Reno replied simply. Turning to the others, Reno gave a weary wave.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Reno said. "I've had enough of this place." All of the Turks carefully assisted Cloud onto the stretcher. He still seemed bewildered over what was going on, and who everyone was.

_Gaia_, thought Reno, _please….let this be just a concussion._

"Okay, Cloud," said Reno, smiling down at Cloud as Cid, Barret, Rude, and Vincent carried the stretcher back out toward the path. "We're taking you up out of this crater, and onto a helicopter. From there, we're going to get you some medical assistance, is that okay?" He wanted to sound as reassuring as he could to Cloud, who was still clearly out of it.

"That's fine," replied Cloud. "And thank you for being so nice to me, Reno." He smiled.

It took everything Reno had within him, to not break down and cry again. He nodded at Cloud in acknowledgement, and trudged, in silence, toward the entrance of the crater.

* * *

**That has to be one of the hardest things I've ever written. I cried over it, and I am utterly exhausted now. I hope I treated the subject matter with respect; it is certainly NOT a topic I would ever write about lightly.**

**So, this was the whole "things are going to get a whole lot worse, before they get better" chapter. Things can only look up from here, right? Also, I know this was quite a long chapter - I hope that didn't put anyone off! I thought about splitting it up into two, but I don't think that would have worked as well.**


	10. Wings of an Angel

**I do not own "Learning to Fly" by Pink Floyd, or "Long Hard Road Out of Hell" by Marilyn Manson; songs are quoted herein just to set the mood.**

* * *

The trip back up the path, toward the mouth of the crater, was fairly uneventful for everyone. _Definitely more uneventful than the trip down_, Tseng thought gratefully. There was no sign of any more dragons, fortunately. Tseng reasoned that after one dragon got a taste of Chaos, any other dragons nearby wisely decided to make themselves scarce.

Everyone was silent during the trek back, including Cloud, who was as befuddled and confused as if he were an alien suddenly dropped onto a foreign planet. He was troubled about Reno; it was clear to him from Reno's behavior, and certain things he had said, that he and Cloud were in some kind of relationship; yet Cloud could remember none of it. He had to admit, however, that Reno did emanate a warm familiarity, which put Cloud slightly at ease around the redheaded Turk. Beyond this, Cloud could remember nothing at all about him. He felt uncomfortable, as yet, broaching the topic with Reno, asking specifics about their relationship. The poor man seemed broken up and exhausted. Cloud wasn't feeling too well himself. He was in a great deal of physical pain; and the emotional pain, of coming to realize huge chunks of his memory were gone, was starting to weigh heavily on him.

Cloud studied the redheaded Turk, as the stretcher carrying him was carefully tethered to a rope. He decided to break the hanging silence, and joked, "Now, don't drop me, Reno," giving him a quick smile.

Reno bit his lip, and smiled crookedly. "Never, Cloud," he replied, quickly grasping his hand to reassure him. _Gods_, Reno thought. _This is killing me. I want nothing more than to hold him in my arms, tell him everything's going to be okay…but how can I do that, when he literally has no memory of me. It'd probably freak him out. _

Sighing, Reno continued tying the rope around the stretcher, intending to climb up as far as he could with the other end of the rope, and tethering it to the helicopter. Then, the plan was to use the helicopter to hoist the stretcher out of the crater, rather than take it all the way up the path, where it would likely be banging against the walls, given the narrow nature of the cave.

Vincent approached Reno, crouching down beside him. "Reno," he began, "I don't think this will work. You don't have enough room up there to angle the chopper just the right way…I think the stretcher will end up getting stuck midway. And even if you remove Cloud from the stretcher, this cavern is basically tilted on a diagonal…Cloud would be bashed and scraped against the sides of this tunnel." Tseng nodded in agreement. "I hate to say it, but I think Vincent is right about this," Tseng admitted.

Reno frowned at this. "Got any better ideas, yo? I'm all ears," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yes," Vincent said calmly. "I can transform into Chaos and fly him out. I can fly quite well, actually."

"No, Vin!" Yuffie protested. "Isn't there…some other way? I mean," she explained, "I know how it…hurts you, when you transform like that."

Looking thoughtful, Reno pondered Vincent's suggestion. "Hmm," he said. "What do you think, Tseng? Think it could work?"

Before Tseng could answer, Elena and Tifa both interrupted at the same time. "But—" they both began. "Go ahead, Tifa," Elena offered.

"I was going to say," said Tifa, "that…Vincent transforming like that – well, how are we going to prepare Cloud for it? He doesn't remember much of anything, so he probably won't remember Chaos, right?"

Reno ran his hand through his flaming red locks, and sighed, feeling defeated once again. _Shit_, he thought. _There are so many things I'm going to have to reintroduce to Cloud. Still, this seems like our best option…but gods, I don't want to freak the guy out! He's just been through hell enough… _Reno felt a lump in his throat as his mind flashed back to Sephiroth's rape of Cloud. _Oh gods…no, he's simply been through too much already._

"Tseng, I don't know what to do, yo," Reno began. "What if it…traumatizes him further, you know?"

Nodding his head in understanding, Tseng replied, "I know, Reno. There are no easy answers…and no way to predict how Cloud will react to such a thing. Vincent," he continued, "are you sure you can…control your emotions as Chaos? That is to say, is there a chance you could…lose control and harm Cloud?"

"No, Tseng," Vincent replied curtly. "If there was a chance, do you think I would even have offered to do this?" Frowning, Vincent turned to Reno. "Look," he continued, "Reno, you have seen me in action, and have fought alongside of me. Have I ever turned against you, as Chaos? Or any of you, for that matter?" Vincent asked, glancing at the rest of the group, who were all standing there silently.

"N-o-o," replied Reno hesitantly. "You haven't, Vincent," he admitted.

Tseng pondered this for a moment, then turned back to the group, looking thoughtful. "I have…another suggestion," he started. "Now, Reno…you may not like this, but—"

"I'll do anything for Cloud," Reno interrupted. "I mean it, Tseng, _anything_."

_Even after all that, Reno still loves him._ Rude pondered, somewhat angrily_. Even though….none of this would have ever happened, if Cloud hadn't run off like that, to chase after Sephiroth. _Rude wasn't even sure why he was so angry at Cloud; he supposed it helped to have someone to be angry with, even if the anger was irrational or misplaced.

_Cloud did it to spare Reno, I guess_, Rude reasoned. _And gods….what Sephiroth did to him in that cave…_ Rude shuddered at the memory. No, angry though he might be about Cloud taking off recklessly to fight Sephiroth in the first place, Rude couldn't stay angry at the man forever. _Gods, he's been through enough…and this is only the beginning, it seems…. _

Tifa's thoughts were racing like the old Midgar train. She was flashing back to that time when she helped Cloud to regain his memory. _Not again_, she thought. _Just what the hell happened to him this time? Did the trauma of…being raped_ – Tifa winced at the memory of what she had witnessed, along with everyone else, in that godforsaken cave - _did that trauma splinter Cloud's mind yet again, just as the death of Zack Fair…and then the death of Aerith did, so many years ago?_

_So many questions I have…questions to which we might never have answers_, Tifa thought sadly. _Gods, what happened to you, Cloud? How can we get you back…yet again?_

Continuing his train of thought, Tseng went on. "Well, Reno, I've got one idea…and if you and Vincent are both agreeable…"

"Out with it, Tseng," Reno demanded impatiently. "Whatever it is, I told you- -I'll do it."

"Well, it's like this," Tseng started. "Reno… thus far, Cloud seems to trust you – as far as I can tell, anyway, he's somewhat comfortable about you, despite having no memory of you."

Reno grimaced at this but nodded in agreement. "Yeah….I guess so, Tseng. So what exactly are you driving at, yo? Just spit it out," Reno said impatiently. _Good Gaia_, he thought, _we need to get Cloud out of here, and the sooner the better._

"In a nutshell," Tseng went on, "my idea is this: Vincent can transform into Chaos, and then…by way of demonstration…fly Reno around here a bit. The idea being," Tseng concluded, "is to put Cloud at ease…perhaps after seeing that Vincent does not harm Reno, Cloud might be persuaded to let Vincent…er, Chaos…fly Cloud all the way up to the surface."

The suggestion was met by a mixed bag of reactions from the group. "The hell?" huffed Barret. "That ain't gonna work. Ain't no way, no how, not after what Cloud's been through, " he muttered.

"I'll do it, Tseng," Reno blurted. "But what about—"

Cloud had been laying on the stretcher silently, taking in all of the discussions going on around him – the discussions about him – as he lay there. _It's like I'm not even here_, he thought, _and they're discussing me…like I'm not even in the room. As if I'm some kind of child._

"Please," Cloud interrupted, instantly drawing everyone's attention. "I want to know what's going on. I know you're discussing me….and how to get me out of here…and it's like I'm not even here, you're all talking over my head," he concluded irritably.

Reno couldn't help but smile slightly at this. _Cloud's there…it's like he's lurking beneath the surface_, he thought, _but man…hearing him get pissed off like that….it's music to my ears. He's still in there…the real Cloud is still in there, somewhere…Gaia, how do I get all of him to come back?_

Kneeling next to Cloud's stretcher, Reno looked him in the eye and addressed him. "Cloud, I'm sorry about that," he apologized. "We just want to get you out of here quickly and safely. Now, about Tseng's idea…let me go over it with you, and you tell me what you think."

"Okay," Cloud agreed, looking up at Reno. "I'm listening."

"Vincent here," Reno said, gesturing toward the man, "has the ability to transform…into a winged creature called Chaos. Now, if it doesn't upset you too much, Tseng thought…maybe that'd be a good way to fly you straight up out of this hole, and get the hell out of here."

Cloud glanced over at Vincent, who was standing there silently, his red eyes downcast, and pensive looking. "You're Vincent, right?" Cloud asked. "I'm okay with it, if you are, Vincent."

Reno's eyebrows shot up in surprise at this. He glanced over at the other Turks, trying to read their reactions, and nobody seemed to know what to make of this. "You sure about this, Cloud?" Reno asked. "I mean, I'm willing to have Chaos fly me around first, so you can see that it's perfectly safe…"

"Not necessary," Cloud interrupted, sounding firm. "Everyone? I just want to get out of here. I'm getting a bad feeling the longer we stay down here, and I'm not really sure why…"

That was enough to convince Reno and Vincent. "Okay, no time like the present, yo," said Reno. "You good to go, Vince?"

"Yes, Reno," Vincent replied. "However…I'll need to build up my limit break first, of course."

Uncharacteristically silent up until now, Yuffie stepped forward. "I'll do it," she muttered.

"You'll do what, Yuffie?" Tifa interrupted. Tifa wasn't entirely convinced that Tseng's plan of using Chaos as transport was the best idea, but they really didn't have a lot of other options at this point.

"I mean," Yuffie explained, "that I'll fight Vincent, and drive up his limit break gauge."

Vincent raised an eyebrow at this. "I probably don't need to ask you this, Yuffie," he began, "but…are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely," Yuffie replied. "I trust you, Vincent. I'll try not to kick your ass too badly, though," she grinned.

Vincent sighed, and reluctantly agreed to let Yuffie fight against him. As much as he now felt in control of Chaos – and this came after decades of being tormented by his inner beast, Vincent couldn't help but think about _what if _at the back of his mind. _What if_ he – or Chaos, rather - somehow snapped, lost control…and someone got hurt.

_No. It will not happen, cannot happen…I will not allow it. I haven't had an incident such as that in…many, many years_, he thought. A sad, thoughtful look washed over his face, which Yuffie noticed straight away. _What is going on with him now? _she wondered. _I wish he'd stop torturing himself all the time….he's a good man, in spite of what Hojo did to him…and took from him…_

"You good, Vin?" Yuffie asked, looking mildly concerned.

"Yes, Yuffie," Vincent replied, smiling. "Let's do this."

"Okay," Yuffie said. "Guys, let's clear this area out here, give us some space."

The group obediently moved out of the way, and Yuffie reached for her shuriken. "I hate doing this to you, Vincent," she murmured. "Please forgive me."

Vincent nodded slightly, and murmured in return, "Yuffie, there is nothing to forgive. Let's proceed."

Standing back, Yuffie raised her shuriken backwards, then bringing her arm foreward, released it, hurling the shuriken towards Vincent's left shoulder, wincing as she did so…she didn't want to hurt him, this reclusive man that she had somehow fallen in love with..._but, what choice do I have, really?_ Yuffie wondered_. Cloud's hurting, and he needs to get out of here right away. I gotta suck it up_, she thought, trying to steel herself mentally.

Vincent readied himself as he saw the shuriken fly toward him. It hit its mark – his left shoulder – but barely. _Yuffie didn't put enough force behind it_, he thought_. She's holding back..._

Grimacing, Vincent plucked the shuriken from where it had lodged in his shoulder, and lobbed it back toward Yuffie. "Heads up," he called, as he released the weapon. "Not enough, Yuffie," he told her. "You need more energy behind your throw. Try using materia instead," he suggested. "I know how…fond you are of it," Vincent said, smiling.

Yuffie giggled, but looked over at Vincent with a sad expression on her face. "I don't want to hurt you," she whispered sadly.

"That's the whole point, Yuffie," Vincent reminded her. "You _have_ to hurt me. This isn't working…..Reno! EMR, now," Vincent commanded suddenly, with a nod toward the redheaded Turk.

Reno knew exactly where Vincent, a former Turk himself, was going with this idea_. Once a Turk_, always _a Turk_, Reno thought, smirking. Without speaking, Reno grabbed his EMR and switched it on, blindly charging toward Vincent, thrusting his weapon toward the former Turk's chest. He moved so quickly that nobody had any time to react – not even Vincent, who had hoped what Reno would do exactly what he did, to attack him without any warning whatsoever.

The jolt of electricity sent Vincent reeling, and Yuffie screamed as the EMR made contact. "You bastard!" she screamed at Reno, launching herself toward him, and pummeling his back. "Ow!" Reno protested. "Get off! "

Meanwhile, Vincent's transformation into Chaos had already begun. Cloud lay in his stretcher, and was transfixed, watching Vincent's back arch, agonized with pain, as Chaos took over his body. Vincent's skin began to turn a mottled purple, and he groaned in pain as his wings extended from his back. They started with an indigo hue, then turned to deepest red toward the tips, as they emerged and elongated.

"Goddamn you, Reno!" Yuffie shouted, still clinging to Reno's back as she continued to pummel him. She was furious with the Turk for tazeing Vincent, and thereby initiating his painful transformation into Chaos.

"Yuffie, chill the fuck out!" yelled Barret, rushing over to the ninja and pulling her off of Reno's back, attempting to restrain her. "Gods," muttered Tifa, rushing over as well. "We had a plan, Yuffie! What the fuck is wrong with you!"

"No!" Yuffie yelled, fighting against Barret's iron grip. "You fucking hurt Vincent, you asshole!" She still had her shuriken in her hand, and launched it at Reno, hitting him in the lower left leg.

Cloud had bolted up in the stretcher, as soon as he saw Yuffie hit Reno with the shuriken. _No…what is she doing, no…don't hurt Reno…_

"Gods, this is fucking insanity!" muttered Cid, not even knowing what to do. "Seriously, what the fuck, Yuffie-"

Reno was collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain from the shuriken hit to his leg. Tseng, Rude, and Elena had rushed over to attend to his injuries. "Fuck, it fucking hurts!" groaned Reno.

_No_, thought Cloud. _No…Reno cannot be hurt…I need to do something..._ Cloud's vision faded to whiteness; something had clicked in his brain….he felt oddly protective toward the Turk, although he still had no other memories of the man. "Reno! No!" Cloud yelled. Everyone craned their heads toward Cloud, and all were surprised by this unexpected outburst.

"Reno…" Cloud stuttered, struggling to get out of the stretcher. "I need to…tell you..ahhh!" Cloud screamed in agony, his face twisted in pain. He fell out of the stretcher onto his knees, his back hunched over.

Vincent had by this time fully transformed into Chaos, and eyed the situation curiously_. Something is not quite right here_, he thought. _Cloud…can you hear me?_

Cloud looked up, making direct eye contact with Chaos. _Yes, I can hear you. What is….happening to me? It hurts so much…_

Nanaki glanced up, as this exchange began. _Cloud….I can hear you as well, this is Nanaki. Can you hear me?_

_Yes, I can hear you too, Nanaki…what is happening to me?_

_You are…transforming, Cloud. Into what…I am not sure, just yet, _said Nanaki. _Yes_, agreed Vincent. _He is transforming...I sense it too._

Reno, grimacing, had dragged himself over to Cloud, resting a hand on his back. "Cloud…are you…okay?" he asked hesitantly.

"No, Reno…something is happening…Nanaki...and Vincent...said I'm transforming…" Cloud moaned.

Reno raised a quizzical eyebrow toward Tseng, who was frowning. "Um, Cloud…what do you mean, 'Vincent told you'?" Reno asked. "Vincent hasn't been able to speak since his transformation…"

"I can hear him, Reno," Cloud whispered. "Well, both of them. I can hear Nanaki...and I can hear Vincent…or Chaos, whatever….I can hear them in my head, in my thoughts."

_Oh shit_, Reno thought_. This is some fucked up shit right here…what the hell does that mean, anyway, Cloud can 'hear' Chaos?_

"Gods, Cloud," Reno replied, "I…I don't know what to tell you—" Reno looked down at his hand, where it was resting on Cloud's back. Something was _moving_, underneath Cloud's shoulder blades. _What in the blueberry flavored fuck is going on?_ Reno wondered.

"UNNNH!" Cloud screamed in agony. He fell to his knees again, and a horrible ripping sound was heard, echoing throughout the cavern. Droplets of Cloud's blood sprayed Reno in the face, followed by a flurry of snow-white feathers, as two wings emerged from Cloud's upper back.

"Holy fuck," gasped Reno. "Oh Gaia…Cloud…." _They're beautiful_, Reno thought. _So fucking beautiful…pure, blinding white…_

Vincent/Chaos moved closer to Cloud, trying to make eye contact. _Cloud, can you still hear me?_

_Yes, I can hear you. What is happening to me? _Cloud pleaded.

_I think that Sephiroth…did something to you, to cause this, your ability to sprout wings. Do you remember…anything that happened at all, right before we found you?_

_No. I remember nothing…except…I do remember the name…Sephiroth…who is he, Vincent?_

Vincent/Chaos didn't want to push the questioning any further – it might drive Cloud further over the edge, if he were to recall everything, but especially the rape. He decided to take another track.

_Cloud, listen to me. You can hear me, and I can hear you…however, I lack the ability to speak, when I am in this form…do you understand me so far?_

_Yes, I understand you. What are we going to do now?_

_Cloud…I need you to tell the others what is going on. But first, I want to ask you…do you think you can fly up with me? I will assist you, of course…I realize this is very soon, but perhaps you can try out your wings.._

_Gods, these wings….I'm a monster_. Cloud began to sob.

"What is it, Cloud?" Reno asked worriedly. "What's the matter?"

"I'm a monster," Cloud whispered. "A freak. Look at me…"

"No, Cloud!" Reno cried. "You're not a monster, never." _You are…beautiful, Cloud. An angel._

_No_, said Nanaki. _Neither of you are monsters…no more than I am one. Listen to me; Vincent, you have lived with this curse of Chaos, for over thirty years. And for over thirty years you have blamed yourself for it. I want you both to listen to my words, and heed them: this was something that was done unto you Vincent, without your consent. Something quite similar seems to have been done unto Cloud as well, although I am not certain of…exactly how this happened. I do know this: neither one of you are monsters. You did not choose this._

_You're right, Nanaki, _said Chaos_. Thank you. I think I…get it now. _Cloud could only stand there, nodding silently in agreement.

_Fly with me, Cloud, _Chaos implored him. _Spread your beautiful wings and fly. Tell the others…_

"I think…I think I can do this," murmured Cloud. "Everyone? Um…I don't entirely understand what's going on, but…I can communicate with Chaos…and Nanaki, it seems. Telepathically," he added.

Tseng's eyes widened. "You can…hear Chaos and Nanaki? And they can hear you? That is remarkable," he murmured. "Cloud, we really need to get you out of here, and back to medical—"

"I know," Cloud interrupted. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. Vincent is going to help me…fly out of here. I think I can do it," Cloud said quietly, contracting his shoulder muscles, and watching his wings move back and forth as a result of this effort.

"It's too soon," argued Tseng. "We don't even know what we're dealing with here—"

_Tell him_, said Chaos, _tell him, Cloud…that there is no other way. Should your wings feel too weak, Cloud…I can carry us both. But our time is running out, I will transform back very soon. We must proceed immediately._

Cloud stood up, grimacing in pain as he did so, and gave everyone a shaky smile. "Please, Tseng," Cloud pleaded. "Vincent says he will be transforming back soon…we haven't got much time." Vincent/Chaos approached Cloud, extending a clawed hand toward him, which Cloud grasped tightly. It was cold and dry, but not uncomfortably so.

_Thank you, Vincent, _said Cloud_. And Nanaki is right…we are not monsters._

If Chaos was capable of showing emotions, he would have been smiling at this_. Thank you for saying that, Cloud. Let's go now…I won't let go of you, but do try using your wings if you think you can._

Cloud nodded. "I'm ready," he said aloud.

Tseng began barking orders at the others. "Cid...I want to get Cloud aboard the Highwind, okay? You proceed first, then, so you can prepare the aircraft. Rude's going to pilot the helicopter out, seeing as Reno is now injured," he said, glaring at Yuffie. She had cast her eyes downward since her attack on Reno, feeling uncharacteristically guilty over her actions.

"Will do, Tseng," Cid replied. "Okay, people…let's move our asses out, now!" The group nodded, and fell behind Cid as he trudged back up the path. Reno was still sitting on the ground, seemingly incapable of speech, staring at Cloud. "Reno!" Elena hissed. "We have to go…Vincent's going to help Cloud, what the hell are you sitting there waiting for?"

"Elena, I just…I just don't know what's happening…what happened to Cloud?" he stammered.

"Come on, Turk," interrupted Rude, offering Reno a hand. "You've lost some blood here, we need to get you some medical attention too." A dazed Reno took the hand offered to him, and got to his feet, wordlessly.

Vincent/Chaos flapped his wings in a huge arc, attempting to produce some lift. He nodded to Cloud, encouraging him to do the same. Cloud's shoulder blades were still feeling tender from where the wings had burst through muscle and skin, but the pain was lessening each minute. He was learning that he had to squeeze his shoulder blades together, while simultaneously moving them in an up-and-down motion, in order to achieve liftoff.

Before Cloud even realized it, both he and Chaos were about fifty feet off of the ground. Chaos still had a firm grasp upon Cloud's arm, for which Cloud was grateful. He still wasn't entirely practiced in his newfound ability, but his confidence in this new skill was growing quickly.

_I can fly. I can fucking fly_, thought Cloud, grinning, swooping his wings even faster, Chaos was starting to have trouble keeping up with Cloud's pace.

_**A soul in tension that's learning to fly  
Condition grounded but determined to try…  
**_

_Take it easy_, Cloud, said Chaos. _It's a beautiful thing, this flying that we're capable of…cherish it. Just don't get carried away and overestimate yourself._

_I know, Vincent, I'll be careful. It's just that…I've never felt so free…_

Vincent/Chaos chuckled inwardly, as they continued to soar upwards, toward the mouth of the crater_. I know what you mean, Cloud…I know what you mean._

_**There's no sensation to compare with this  
Suspended animation, a state of bliss…**_

Reno straggled behind the others as they made their way back toward the surface. Elena was bringing up the rear, and much to her annoyance, Reno would frequently come to a dead stop, mouth agape as he observed Cloud taking flight on his newborn wings_. I've never seen anything so fucking beautiful in my life_, he thought, gaping. _Gods…he really is like an angel. My angel…_

"Reno, please," Elena snapped, as Reno halted his footsteps once again. "You can't keep lagging like this, I know you've got a bum leg, but seriously – you keep stopping every five seconds."

"I can't help it, Elena," Reno replied distractedly, eyes pointed skyward. "I mean, look at him. Have you ever seen anything like that in your life? It's so…beautiful, yo."

"I've seen people sprout wings before," murmured Elena in reply. "Sephiroth, for one…"

"NO, Elena," Reno snapped. "_Not_ like Sephiroth, Cloud is nothing like that no-good fucker, you hear me?"

"I didn't mean it like that, Reno," Elena apologized. "I'm sorry, that came out the wrong way."

"Hmm," grunted Reno, picking up his pace slightly and trudging along. Elena's comment made him wonder, though…in a way, she did have a point. Cloud now had wings – and a full pair, to boot – much like Sephiroth…and Angeal and Genesis each had a single wing. He thought about the latter two, those former SOLDIERS who had been victims of Hollanders' mad experimentation, much like Sephiroth was a victim of Hojo's insane quest to create the perfect SOLDIER. _How'd this happen to Cloud,and why now_? Reno wondered. _Did he always have this ability, but maybe it was…dormant or something?_ Reno knew, as did all the other Turks, that Cloud had been subjected to unspeakable horrors in Hojo's lab.

"Tseng," Reno called ahead to his superior, "looks like we have another medical mystery to solve…what do you think of Cloud's new wings, yo?"

Glancing backwards, Tseng grimaced. "I have a few theories, Reno, but I'm going to have to run some tests first," he replied briefly. "This is…something I've never seen, for sure." _And something potentially frightening_, he thought, _if one of my theories pans out. _

Cloud and Chaos finally made it up to the surface, and landed on the northern most edge of the crater, alongside the Highwind. They landed just in time, too, as Chaos was starting to transform back into Vincent. Cloud also felt himself change – his shoulder blades contracted spasmodically, as his wings retracted into his back.

The group had made their way to the surface, just as Vincent had fully completed his transformation. "Cloud, your wings…" Tifa began. "Are they…gone?"

Cloud gave a downward glance, trying to look and see if his wings were fully retracted. He could only see the ragged tears in his shirt, where the wings had burst through, and a spattering of dried blood. "I guess they're…gone now," Cloud replied. _I feel oddly…sad, that I can't see them and feel them anymore_, thought Cloud. "I wonder if they'll come back."

Cid had charged on ahead and boarded the Highwind, wanting to ready it for takeoff. He came down the gangplank and barked at the group once again. "Time to get on board, no fooling around, now!" he commanded.

"Reno, you go on the Highwind, please," Tseng ordered. "I will join you. Rude and Elena will pilot the helicopter back to headquarters," he said, nodding to the two Turks.

"My leg is fine, yo," protested Reno. "I can fly just fine—"

"Do you always have to be so goddamned stubborn, Reno?" Tseng snapped. "Just get on board, and I'll take another look at your leg."

"Yeesh. You don't have to be so damned touchy, yo," Reno teased. "All right, all right, I'll go on this hunk of junk."

Cid raised an eyebrow at this. "Hunk of junk, hmm? Says you." He had an insulting retort on the tip of his tongue, but thought better of it, given all that everyone had been through this day. Sighing, he re-entered the main cabin.

Everyone made their way up the gangplank of the Highwind, while Rude and Elena boarded the ShinRa helicopter. Yuffie sidled up alongside Reno, with a sheepish look on her face. "Reno…I'm really sorry about your leg," she said meekly. "I guess I lost my temper."

"Yeah, I'll say you did," Reno replied dryly. He smiled in understanding, and said, "I get it though, yo. If someone had been attacking Cloud, I'd beat the fucking hell out of them."

"You did do that, Reno," Yuffie reminded him softly. "When Sephiorth…" she faltered.

"Yeah, I know, Yuffie. I know all too well," Reno replied sadly. "Trying to forget that…but it's burned in my brain, probably all of our brains…I don't think any of us will ever forget. Except…for Cloud. Maybe he's lucky that he can't remember that, you think?"

"Maybe," replied Yuffie. "I know I wouldn't want to remember that," she said, shuddering.

"I wish he could remember me, though," Reno said softly, tears in his eyes. "If only he could remember…just that, and nothing else. We had just found each other, and then this happened…it's just not fair," Reno choked back a sob.

Tifa had been walking behind Reno, silently. "Fate can be pretty cruel, Reno," she said quietly. "But Cloud found his way back once…he can do it again, although it probably won't be easy," she warned.

"I know, Tifa," Reno replied, as they all entered the main cabin, and took their seats. Tseng waved Cloud and Reno over to where he was standing on the side. "There is a sick bay on board," Tseng told them. "I want both of you down there, I'm going to dress your wounds, and hopefully you can rest fairly comfortably."

"Okay, Tseng," Reno replied, yawning. "I could use a good nap, yo."

Cloud smiled, saying nothing. He was very confused about how he felt around the redheaded Turk. There were definitely some twinges of familiarity and comfort that Cloud felt whenever he was around him; clearly there was something there_. And I felt…so angry…and protective, when Yuffie had attacked Reno with the shuriken_, Cloud remembered.

_I wish I could go back to how everything was before I lost my memory, _Cloud thought, as he followed Tseng and Reno down into the sick bay_. I wish I could give Reno what he needs…but I just don't feel anything right now. I like the guy…I want to love him, it's so obvious he loves me…but I feel like I just met him five minutes ago._

_**I wanna live, I wanna love  
But it's a long hard road, out of hell**_

Reno laid down on the bed in the sick bay, his exhaustion suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks. "Sweet dreams, babe," he whispered absently to Cloud, who was seated opposite him on the other bed. Reno promptly fell asleep, almost immediately after his head hit the pillow.

Cloud exchanged a glance with Tseng. "Um…how can we work on getting my memory back?" Cloud asked hesitantly.

Tseng was changing the dressing on Reno's leg, while the Turk slept. "That will not be an overnight thing, Cloud, I must warn you," he cautioned. "When we get back to headquarters, we're going to get you over to medical to run some tests. My first priority is going to be figuring out how you got those wings there."

"Ah, those," Cloud nodded in understanding. "I know. That's not something you see every day, I suppose, is it?" He smiled.

Cid's voice came over the intercom. "Strap your sorry asses in, this bird is taking off now! Over and out."

Rolling his eyes, Tseng commented, "Charming to the end, isn't he."

Cloud laughed out loud. "Yeah, he's um…a character, isn't he. Tseng, I wish I could remember everyone," Cloud pleaded. "Everyone here, they're all my friends, right? And I can't remember _anyone_."

"I'll help you, Cloud," replied Tseng, trying to sound reassuring. "When we get back to headquarters, we will work on helping restore your missing memories." _Although_, Tseng thought, _you are definitely not going to like some of those memories_. He frowned.

Cloud smiled, not seeing Tseng's worried expression. He was holding out every hope that all of his memories would be righted soon. He heard the jets start up, as Cid fired the thrusters to achieve liftoff. Cloud settled back on the bed, trying to relax, and soon settled into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Well, this kind of sucks. It's 3:30 a.m., I haven't been to sleep yet cuz my kid keeps waking up…and I have to get up at 5 to go to work anyway. Whine whine. So I did something productive with my insomnia, and finished this chapter, yay!**

**I know it's probably a bit cheesy to use "Learning to Fly" when Cloud is…learning to fly. ****I love that song though, so there. XD Another small note...I decided to give Vincent, Nanaki and now Cloud the power of telepathy. Convenient, eh? ;) That part was kind of inspired by Aerith's ability to communicate/hear the Planet.**

**This will probably be my last update for a while on this fic (although I do have the next chapter underway...), I'm leaving in a few days to go to VEGAS for a friend's wedding. I SO need a vacation! And if you're following any of my other fics, I promise to try and update the ones that need updating once I'm back! Sorry, but this fic seems to be eating all my creativity lately, and I have none left over for my other writings. **

**Please read and review, and a big thanks if you have reviewed, favorited, or added this story to your alerts – it keeps me encouraged, and keeps me writing!**


	11. Hope

**The following songs are quoted herein: "Solo Flights" by Eagles of Death Metal, "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS, "Coming Back to Life" by Pink Floyd, and "Time Machine" by Black Sabbath. I do not own any of them, they are used here only to set the mood.**

**Please read and review! xoxoxo**

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* * *

**

Reno slept soundly in the sick bay during the flight back, despite Cid hitting a few pockets of wind, causing turbulence which pitched the _Highwind _wildly. Cloud had been half asleep himself, but woke when he was jostled by the aircraft banking violently. "Mmph," he grunted, shifting uncomfortably on the small, utilitarian bed. He winced as he reached back to touch the tender area where just hours before, wings had sprouted from his shoulder blades. _Snow white wings, two of them_, Cloud pondered. _How in the hell does that even happen? _He started to remember something about…a shower of black feathers, for some reason that he couldn't quite connect to anything else in his jumbled mind_. I'll ask Tseng about that later_, Cloud made a mental note to himself_. I have white wings, so why am I remembering…black feathers all of a sudden?_ Cloud puzzled over this momentarily.

He glanced over at Reno, who was still soundly sleeping. Tseng was sitting at a nearby desk, making some notes. "Tseng? How is Reno's leg doing?" Cloud asked quietly.

Tseng started, glancing up from his paperwork, and smiled briefly at Cloud. "He's doing fine, " replied Tseng. "Only a flesh wound. And how are you feeling, Cloud? You've been through quite a bit today," he added, getting up from his desk and approaching Cloud. "You've been out for about twenty minutes….we'll be landing in about a half an hour."

Cloud sat upright, adjusting himself over the lumpy bedclothes. "Gods, my ass still hurts," he grumbled. "Erm, sorry to be so blunt," Cloud grinned, apologizing to Tseng. "I don't get it though – I had fucking wings bust through my back, right? That feels fine now, little tender…but my ass, it still feels like it's on fire, though," Cloud complained.

_Oh Gaia_, thought Tseng. _Talk about conversations I dread having…_

Clearing his throat, Tseng attempted to shed a bit of light on Cloud's puzzlement, but he didn't want to reveal the horror of the rape…not now, he didn't feel Cloud was ready for that brutal reality just yet. "Well, Cloud," he stuttered. "We'll need to get you to medical, and I'll run some tests….then we'll….see what's causing that pain, all right?" Cloud nodded, smiling at this, and Tseng felt horribly guilty nonchalantly glossing over the brutality of what had happened to the man earlier that day.

"So…Tseng," Cloud continued questioning him, "just how can we go about getting my memory back?"

"I'll be using hypnosis, to start," Tseng replied. "But…let's not worry about that right now, Cloud. Why don't you sit back and relax until we land." _Then the hard work begins,_ Tseng thought, grimacing.

Cloud glanced over at Reno again, who was still sleeping soundly, with a smile on his face. His lips were starting to move, and Cloud heard a low humming noise. Straining to hear better, Cloud could have sworn he heard…singing? _Singing in his sleep?_ Cloud thought with a smile_. Is such a thing…possible?_

It certainly seemed to be possible, as Reno's volume increased, and although it was slurred sounding due to sleep, one could start to make out lyrics, and actual melodies.

"_Nobody does me like I do, I'm just a one man operation….you don't get it, no you don't get it, no…_" Reno droned, still remarkably fast asleep while warbling the tune. Cloud couldn't help but grin at the Turk singing in his sleep. "Does he do this all the time, Tseng?" Cloud asked the Wutaian, who was still compiling notes for his report that Rufus would be requiring by the end of the day. _That dude is always writing shit down_, Cloud noted. _Damn_…_talk about a workaholic…_

"Huh?" Tseng said distractedly, looking up at Cloud. "Oh…the singing? Yeah, I'm used to that by now," Tseng remarked dryly. "Normal people talk in their sleep, they don't sing. Reno does both, naturally."

"That's funny," laughed Cloud. He was starting to feel more and more at ease, although he wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe the music was relaxing him somehow?

Reno had apparently moved on to the next verse of the song. _"No one's gonna hold my hand, it's got a full-time occupation…I close my eyes, and picture you, and cut out all the aggravation….you don't get it, no you don't get it, no…nobody gets to love meeeeeee…"_ he sang, his voice trailing off into a snore.

Cloud laughed quietly, hoping not to wake Reno_. This shit is way too funny_, thought Cloud. _I can see why I…might have been interested in him. I wish I could fucking remember it, though, _he thought sadly.

"You know…Tseng, Reno has a pretty nice voice, actually," Cloud observed. "Although I don't know about his taste in music," he chuckled.

Tseng smiled at this. "Actually, Reno's a bit of a musician," he said. "A while ago….he and Rude even had their own band. Reno on drums and vocals, Rude on bass…they had this other guy Kunsel, on guitar and vocals."

"Really," said Cloud, sounding interested. "What was their name? What kind of music did they play?"

Rolling his eyes, Tseng replied, "They called themselves _Painful Discharge_. Quaint, no?" Tseng laughed. "They played all sorts of music, really…mostly death metal and hardcore punk, though."

"I guess the name was kind of fitting, then," Cloud grinned. Glancing over to make sure Reno was still asleep, Cloud inched closer to where Tseng was sitting. "Hey…Tseng?" Cloud said quietly. "I hate to bother you with all these questions—"

"It's not a problem, Cloud," Tseng replied kindly. "It's understandable that you would have a lot of questions, given your amnesia."

"Yeah," said Cloud. "I guess so. Anyway," he continued, "I was wondering….what do you know about me and Reno? Like, when did we start dating…?" Cloud shifted uncomfortably. He hated asking these questions – hated the fact that he _had_ to ask such questions in the first place, but there was no other way around it, other than to be direct, in order to fill in the many, giant gaps in Cloud's memory.

Frowning, Tseng looked up from his paperwork again, and replied slowly, "Cloud…I really think Reno's the one to ask about this. I do know that you and Reno had been flirting with each other for a ridiculously long time," he laughed. "So when Rude told me you two had…hooked up, pretty much everyone who knows the two of you, thought it was about time."

"Rude told you that, huh?" asked Cloud. "That's…interesting. So are Reno and Rude like…best friends or something?" Cloud was starting to feel guilty peppering Tseng with all of these questions about Reno, particularly while the redheaded Turk was lying there asleep, and oblivious to everything going around him.

"I suppose they're very close," Tseng replied, head down as he pored over his report. "They've been partnered as Turks for quite a long time."

Apparently Reno had switched to another song, a ballad with a slower tempo this time. "_I was standing…you were there…two worlds collided….and they could never tear us apart…_" Reno droned. Suddenly he stirred, and the singing came to an abrupt halt.

"What the fuck happened….ohhh, my head," grumbled Reno, slowly sitting up in his bed. Casting a bleary eye at Cloud, he smiled. "Hey," he said softly. "How ya doin', Cloud?" _Almost called him Cloudy_, Reno thought, regretfully_. Maybe I shouldn't be holding back like this? I feel like I'm walking on fucking eggshells around him…I don't want to overwhelm the guy, though, calling him pet names, for Gaia's sake. Fuck. What do I do?_

"Doing okay, Reno," Cloud replied. "I really want to get back soon, though…I'm anxious to start working on getting my memory back. Tseng here," he said, nodding in his direction, "says he's gonna hypnotize me. I don't think I've ever been hypnotized before…well, not that I can remember, anyway, obviously.."

Reno raised an eyebrow, and glanced at Tseng. "Hypnotism, Tseng…really?" he said questioningly. "You sure that's a good idea, yo?"

Tseng gave Reno a tired glance, and said, "There aren't a whole bunch of options in dealing with this, Reno. Hypnotism will be the first, most obvious choice for treatment…"

"And then what?" Reno demanded. He didn't want to be overly pushy, particularly given Tseng's weird-ass mood, but goddammit, he just wanted his boyfriend back.

Tseng sighed. "If that doesn't work then…we move onto other treatment options. Pharmaceuticals."

Cloud now had a worried look on his face. "Um…what kinds of pharmaceuticals?" he inquired.

"Let's not worry about this right now, Cloud," Tseng answered, giving Reno a 'shut the fuck up' type of glare. "Like I said, we start with hypnotism, and hope we achieve some results with that. If not, we move onto the next thing."

"Okay," said Cloud, looking anything but encouraged. "I just want to get my memory back—"

"I know you do," Tseng interrupted. "But you've got to understand – and this goes for you too, Reno—this is not going to be a process that yields instantaneous results. Some patience will be required, by everyone."

Cloud sighed. "Sorry," he apologized. "I know I'm getting impatient…I just want everything back. I know it'll take some time, though."

_You're not the only one who wants everything back the way it was_, Reno thought miserably. He was but four feet away from Cloud, the small beds facing opposite each other; yet Reno held back, forced himself to not touch Cloud…_don't even think about going over there and hugging him…it'd be too much, too soon…_

_But why not?_ Reno reasoned_. I could…ask him if he'd mind, right? Why the fuck not? I'm a goddamned Turk, I can hug my boyfriend….even if he doesn't know who the hell I am. Maybe._

Reno sighed despondently. No, Tseng was right…this is not something either of them could rush back into. _It's fucking killing me, but I gotta do this the right way, I guess. For Cloud._

Cid's raspy, four-packs-of-non-filtered-cigarettes-a-day-for-the-past-twenty-years voice suddenly came over the intercom. "We're landing this bitch NOW," he said in his normal irritable tone. "Secure your shit and buckle yer asses back in your seats, pronto!"

The trio made their way over to the far side of the sick bay, where there was a row of airplane seats set against the wall. "Cid needs to go to flight attendant school and learn some fucking manners, yo," grumbled Reno. "Better yet, he should hire a fucking flight attendant for this bird. Someone to hand out booze and stale peanuts would be nice, you know?" He flung himself back in his seat with a huff, fumbling for the seat belt.

Tseng laughed, as he buckled his seat belt. "Cid is Cid, Reno. He will never change. You're a lot like him, you know," Tseng said, grinning.

"The fuck you talking about?" Reno retorted, offended, while Cloud laughed. "I'm nothing like that foul-mouthed, chain smoking bastard—"

"Reno," Tseng interrupted. "You…enjoy using profanities, do you not?"

"They just kind of slip out, yo….or, I use them for _emphasis_ and shit," Reno defended himself, starting to feel irritated. Tseng could be a real bastard when he was in a teasing sort of mood, which he appeared to be at the moment.

"Right," Tseng replied, trying to sound serious, but hiding a grin. "'Emphasis and shit', got it. And you also…chain smoke, do you not?"

Reno's face registered shock. "Not that fucking much, Tseng! Yeesh. Plus, I smoke Wutaian _clove_ ciggies. Those are better for you than straight tobacco, 'cause there's less tar."

"Actually, Reno, studies show that clove cigarettes have even more tar and nicotine than regular cigarettes…" Tseng giggled. _He fucking giggled, and at my expense,_ thought Reno irritably_. Cheeky Wutaian bastard._

"For the love of Gaia, Tseng, stop being such a fucking killjoy!" Reno complained. Cloud was shaking with silent laughter in the seat next to Reno. "Ow," he said, wincing, as he shifted in his seat, feeling the searing pain in his posterior flare up once again.

"You okay there, Cloudy?" Reno asked Cloud, looking concerned. _Shit, I called him Cloudy. Oops…_

"Cloudy?" said Cloud, bemusedly. "I'm fine, Reno…it literally only hurts when I laugh," he smiled.

"Fuck!" said Reno. "Tseng! This is all your fault, goading me like that!" Despite his protestations to Tseng, Reno was feeling unbelievably and immensely lighter, and he wasn't entirely sure why. _Well, Cloud is alive_, for one, he thought. _That's a big gigantic fucking plus in my book._

_And Cloud apparently thinks I'm fucking funny, _he thought with a smile. _Another big gigantic fucking plus. _

The _Highwind_ touched down on the runway with a resounding and ungentle BANG, jerking the men forward in their seats. "Whoa!" yelped Reno, his hand grazing Cloud's thigh as he was thrown off balance. It rested there for a few seconds too long, and Cloud's cheeks turned an unusual shade of magenta that rather flattered his ocean blue eyes. Those oceanic eyes met Reno's icy aquamarine ones, and Reno giggled nervously, jerking his hand away in an instant. "Eh, sorry about that, yo," he apologized to Cloud, trying to sound nonchalant, and feeling anything _but_.

_.on .his. fucking. thigh. Gaia… _Reno started to go a bit red himself. _This feels like a fucking first date or something…well, it would feel that way, if it weren't for fucking Tseng chaperoning over there like we're at the goddamned prom. Oh, that and my date's complete lack of memory_, Reno thought dryly.

"S'okay, Reno_," _Cloud smiled. _"_That was a…bit of a rough landing, wasn't it?"

"You're goddamned right! The fuck kind of landing was that, anyway!" Reno bitched, in an obvious attempt to change the subject of his roving hand molesting Cloud's thigh. "Goddamned Cid, he flies planes the way Barret drives that Neanderthal-mobile he calls a car. Into the fucking GROUND, yo." Reno knew he was babbling just to prevent any awkward periods of silence following his right hand's involuntary assault on Cloud's thigh. _Shit, why am I so fucking nervous around my own goddamned boyfriend? _Reno mused. _Because he's…different somehow. Not the amnesia thing – that's obvious, but Cloud seems more…laidback? Jovial, even? How is that even fucking possible? _Reno wondered. _After being…raped…_

Reno's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the Highwind finally came to a complete stop at the gate. "Thank Gaia that's over with," grumbled Tseng as he unbuckled his seat belt. "I'd rather ride in the chopper with Reno flying drunk," he quipped.

Reno burst into laughter at this. Tseng was being uncompromisingly snarky today, and it cracked Reno up. _That bastard can be goddamned funny when he doesn't have a stick up his ass_, Reno noted. He thought for a moment, wondering why Tseng was all of a sudden so lighthearted, when he saw Tseng quickly sending a text on his cell phone. Being the nosey type, Reno craned his neck to see what it said.

_Going to HQ for a bit. Pick you up tonight at 8:00. Wear that silver dress I like_, read the outgoing text. Tseng hit 'send.'

Unable to keep his mouth shut as per usual, Reno blurted out, "Tseng! You have a daaaate? Is it with Elena?" he demanded. Cloud laughed, and stood up from his seat, swaying slightly, and gripping the headrest for support. He was starting to feel like he might fall over any minute.

Tseng got up from his seat, his dark eyes flashing angrily at Reno. "Do you always read people's texts, Turk?" he snapped. "That was private!"

"Not anymore it's not," grinned Reno. "I've been schooled to spy on shit like that, yo! I merely _reacted _due to my excellent Turk training."

"Uh huh," grunted Tseng, clearly not believing Reno. "Yes, it IS a date, and YES it is with Elena," Tseng confessed. "And you will NOT tease Elena about this Reno, that's an order!"

"Okay, okay!" Reno relented. "Let's just GO so I can give Highwind a piece of my mind about his inability to fly and land a plane properly. Yo, Tseng – let's get Cloudy here on a stretcher." _Shit, I called him Cloudy again.  
_

"Yeah, I'm not feeling….so good," Cloud said shakily. He was looking a bit peaked, and his eyes….his eyes were looking very strange, Tseng observed, with some concern. They seemed to be…changing color….shimmering, actually.

"On it," barked Tseng, grabbing a stretcher and a backboard from the infirmary. Cloud was swaying back and forth, and feeling rather weak. As he pitched to the side, Reno's hand shot out to catch him. "Hey, you okay, yo?" Reno asked out of concern. "I've got ya Cloud, let's just ease over to the stretcher here…" Suddenly realizing something, Reno fired a question at Tseng. "Hey Tseng…how're we getting Cloud over to headquarters?"

"I suppose, we could ask Barret to drive us over…or get Rude to fly us in the chopper." Tseng said, as he helped Cloud onto the stretcher, making sure his head was properly supported.

"Tseng," Reno reminded him, "you already sent Rude and Elena back to ShinRa. We're landing at the airport in Kalm, don't you remember?"

"Shit," muttered Tseng. "I can't believe I forgot to tell them to fly to Kalm. Dammit!"

Reno laughed, lifting up his end of the stretcher, while Tseng hoisted the opposite end. "Geez, Tseng. I hope you get laid soon, you are like way too distracted lately, yo," Reno hooted.

Tseng judiciously ignored the last remark, and hoisted his end of the stretcher,. "Let's proceed, Reno," he commanded. Reno was carrying the end of the stretcher closest to where Cloud's head was resting. Looking down upon him, he noticed that Cloud seemed to be grimacing in pain. "Cloud, are you okay?" Reno inquired with a serious tone.

"I'm okay, Reno," Cloud said through gritted teeth. He really wasn't; the pain was coming back in waves, and he felt something else going on in his body; something inexplicable. _Like I'm burning, from the inside out…_

"Don't pretend, Cloud….if it hurts, you just fucking tell me, all right?" urged Reno. "Tseng! He's in pain, yo, we need to get a move on." They had, by now, approached the gangplank, and both Reno and Tseng were taking great care to not jostle the stretcher they were carrying as they descended downward.

"Barret!" Tseng yelled as he caught sight of the man. "We need a lift here, over to ShinRa. Think the stretcher will fit in the back?"

"Not a problem, man," Barret said agreeably. He trotted over to the stretcher, and a wave of concern washed over him as he looked down at Cloud whose face was contorted with pain.

"Cloud, you look like you're hurtin'," Barret observed, with a concerned look on his face. "I'm gonna drive you over to headquarters in my car, okay? Tseng'll check you out an' stuff."

"Car?" scoffed Reno. "That thing is the size of an alien fucking spacecraft."

Barret rolled his eyes at this. "Whatever, Turk. Maybe you just jealous," he sneered.

"Of your grotesquely oversized tank? Noooo, I don't think so," Reno chuckled. "See, I don't have to compensate for anything the way _you_ seem to—"

"Oh, shut the fuck up, Reno!" Barret snapped, stomping off towards his vehicle. "Goddamned Turk."

Tseng sighed as he marched forward, still carrying the stretcher. "Reno, must you always taunt people like that?" he asked wearily.

"Pffft," hissed Reno. "It's just Barret. That guy's a big fucking marshmallow. Oh look, it's Highwind," Reno observed, rolling his eyes as the chain-smoking aviator came into his field of vision. "Yo, Cid…were you wearing a fucking blindfold flying that plane today? Gods, that was some fucking landing. And I do _not_ mean that in a good way, either," Reno said snappishly.

Cid took a heavy drag off of the cigarette dangling from his mouth, and narrowed his eyes. "Look, you little shit," he snapped, "I know I fucked up reading that letter of yours, but that gives you no right to come in here and insult me! Especially after I flew your asses back here, to boot!"

Reno had nearly forgotten about the letter from Cloud. He touched his hand to his jacket pocket briefly, just to verify it was still there. _Yep, there it is_, thought Reno. _Maybe…maybe I'll show it to Cloud later, jog his memory…or something._

"Yeah, thanks for the lift, yo," Reno replied softly. "Just…you need to work on your damned landing, Cid."

"Hmpf," Cid grunted. "Well, anyway….I hope everything works out for you and the kid, okay? I gotta fly back to the crater with Jake, retrieve my other plane…the one Cloud flew out there. So I'll see ya later. Let me know how Cloud does, all right?"

Reno actually smiled at the crusty old pilot, something he was certain had never happened before. "I will, Cid," he replied. "And thanks for everything…sorry about being a bitch just now."

"Mmph," Cid grunted again, turning to head back toward the hangar.

* * *

Gravel flew as Barret drove his tank – and it really was more tank than automobile – toward Reno and Tseng. He parked several feet away, and hopped out, running around to open up the hatchback. Already seated inside the vehicle were Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie, and Nanaki. "Hey guys," greeted Tifa. "How is Cloud?"

"In pain," Tseng said briefly. "We need to get him transported quickly," Tseng said as he and Reno lifted the stretcher carefully, and slid it into the back. Reno hopped up into the hatch, and sat himself next to Cloud, who was moaning. "Cloud, I'm here, yo," Reno said, clutching Cloud's hand. "Talk to me, we'll get through this," he said, trying to sound reassuring - and feeling anything but.

"Reno," Cloud whispered, as Barret closed the hatch shut, "why…what's happening to me? It hurts so much," he moaned.

"Where does it hurt, tell me what's going on," urged Reno. "Tseng!" he shouted toward the front of the vehicle. "I need help here, yo…"

"Reno, I can cast Cure on him again, but it doesn't seem to be working," Tseng replied. "I need something stronger for this level of pain." Barret jumped into the driver's seat, and slammed the transmission up through the gears, taking off with a lurch. "Sorry 'bout that," Barret apologized, as everyone inside the vehicle was thrown about. "Don't mean to drive all rough, but I wanna get Cloud there fast."

"Thanks, Barret," Reno said absently. "Cloud," he said to the semi-conscious man laying beside him, "keep talking to me…tell me where it hurts, yo."

"Everywhere," moaned Cloud, his head lolling about. "It…feels like my body is burning up…from the inside…"

Placing a hand on Cloud's forehead to check his temperature, Reno frowned. "You don't feel feverish, Cloud. Your eyes, though…your eyes look strange, Cloud," Reno whispered, touching Cloud's cheek and taking a closer look. Cloud's eyes had a strange cast to them…they shimmered, then turned a brilliant green, with a cat-eye like slit in the center.

_Oh gods. Those are Sephiroth's eyes…no… no…no…_

As quickly as Cloud's eyes changed, they rapidly changed back to their normal state, oceanic blue, within seconds. He shook his head, as if coming out of a stupor, and looked blankly around him. Noticing Reno next to him, Cloud looked at him and smiled, asking, "Reno? What just happened? Where…am I?"

"You're in Barret's car…tank…oh, whatever the fuck this thing is," Reno laughed. "Are you okay, Cloud? You were in some serious pain there, does it still hurt?"

Cloud sat up briefly in the stretcher, looking around. "No, it doesn't hurt as much anymore," Cloud said, sounding puzzled. "Actually, I feel much better now. Still sore, though," he admitted.

Reno felt relieved, but he was just as puzzled as Cloud was. He looked down at the angelic blond, and noted the dried, caked blood on Cloud's shirt and pants. Reno remembered, with a shudder, where he had found Cloud's pants in the cave – in all likelihood tossed there thoughtlessly by Sephiroth, right before he raped Cloud—

_raped him he fucking raped him, gods, why…why…why?_

-and Reno remembered that he had gingerly put the pants back on an semi-conscious Cloud, wanting to cover him up, wanting to forget…everything that he witnessed Sephiroth doing to Cloud's nearly lifeless body, there in that godsforsaken cave.

_But I can't forget. None of us ever will. And if Cloud gets his memory back…it'll all come crashing down. I want him back, I want him to remember me…and us, and what we had….what we might __**still**__ have? But I don't want him to remember __**that**__. Dear Gaia…_

Reno shook his head, as if to try and erase those horrifying images he knew he'd never forget from his brain. "Hey, Cloud," he began. "You know…those clothes are going to need to be washed or something. I've got some extra clothes in my locker back at headquarters. If you want, I can see if I have something that might fit you?"

"Sounds good, Reno," replied Cloud, looking up at the redheaded Turk. "I hate that I'm worrying you so much."

"Don't even," Reno said, choking a sob, "don't even think about apologizing for that, Cloud. If our positions were reversed, you'd do the same for me, I know you would."

"Would I?" asked Cloud innocently. "I guess that makes sense…if we're as close as people say we are," he reasoned.

Reno tried to hold back, but a sob escaped his throat, and the tears flowed behind it_. He can' t remember me…he'll never remember me_, Reno thought sorrowfully. "I'm…sorry, Cloud," Reno apologized, sniffling, and wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I didn't mean to lose it like that, yo."

"I'm hurting you, Reno. I'm hurting you, and I hate it," Cloud said sadly. "I need to try and remember everything…for you. I'm so sorry, Reno, I want to make this better for you."

"No, don't apologize, Cloud, please," pleaded Reno. "It's not your fucking fault!" _It's Sephiroth's_. "And besides, you need to get your memory back for yourself, first and foremost. Not just for me…although I'll be pretty fucking happy when you do remember me, yo." Reno smiled down at Cloud, still holding his hand.

_**and the fire  
of burning yesterdays  
can only light the way  
to lead you from  
the garden of the dark  
**_

"I know I can't remember anything about you, Reno…or…us…and frankly, I'm just scared of everything that I _can't_ remember right now," Cloud said simply, looking directly into Reno's eyes. "But, I can see why I would have fallen in love with you. You've been nothing but kind and caring toward me, and I believe that says a lot about…our relationship. Even though I can't remember a goddamned thing about any of it." Cloud brushed away a tear that was threatening to spill.

"Thank….thank you, Cloud," Reno whispered, near tears again himself. "That means the world to me to hear you say that."

_**looking at the world  
through your innocent eyes  
you're seeing the promises….**_

Nanaki had crept through the back, climbing over the back bench seat in order to reach Cloud. With a sympathetic look, he nudged Cloud's arm with his nose. Cloud started briefly, upon feeling the warm nose touch his arm, but smiled when he saw it belonged to Nanaki. "Thank you, Nanaki," Cloud murmured. "I appreciate…everything you've done for me, and all of your kind words back in the cave."

_What is happening to me, Nanaki? _Cloud posed the question as a thought, rather than out loud, knowing that Nanaki could communicate with him telepathically. For some reason, Cloud feared what the answer might be, and didn't want to upset Reno any further than he already had.

_I don't quite know yet, Cloud_, admitted Nanaki. _You have endured a great trauma today…I shall say no more, as I know Tseng wants you to try and remember things on your own, if you can. But what happened to you in that cave, seems to be resulting in…a transformation of some kind._

_Trauma? Transformation? _Cloud puzzled. _Please, Nanaki…tell me more, _he begged. _What happened in the cave?_

_I have said too much, _Nanaki confessed, sounding remorseful._ Please, Cloud…don't ask me any more questions about this. We will all help you through what is to come, but you will need to find your way._

_Reno loves me, doesn't he, _Cloud mused sadly._ Why can't I love him back?_

_Yes, he does love you, Cloud…that much is very obvious, _Nanaki smiled. _Give it time…we are all hopeful you get your memory back, and this worry will soon be past._

_But what if I don't get my memory back…ever? _Cloud fretted.

_Let's not think that way, Cloud. One step at a time_, Nanaki cautioned_. One step at a time…_

_Okay. Thank you, Nanaki…_

At that moment, Barret pulled up to the ShinRa building. "Okay, y'all, we're here," he barked, as he cut the engine. Vincent was the first one to open up the hatch, and offered Reno a hand in unloading the stretcher. "Allow me, Reno," Vincent said kindly. "Yuffie?" he called.

"I'm here, Vin," Yuffie said, bounding around the back. "What you need?"

"Yuffie, help me with this stretcher, please," Vincent asked her. "Reno is flat out exhausted, let's give him a hand."

"No problem," agreed Yuffie. She grabbed the end of the stretcher toward Cloud's head, and she and Vincent carefully slid it back out of the vehicle.

"Thank you, Vincent…Yuffie," Reno said shakily. He had to admit that Vincent was right – he was beyond exhausted, both emotionally and physically. How long had it been since any of them had slept? Reno wondered. It had been over twenty hours, to be sure.

"You know, Cloud," Yuffie joked, "You always were a pain in the ass." Vincent frowned slightly at this, until he saw Cloud start to laugh. "I was, was I?" Cloud asked, smiling. "Just to you, or to everyone?"

"Oh, you've had your moments with pretty much everyone," Yuffie teased, as she and Vincent carried the stretcher toward the elevators. "But I think you liked to pick on me in particular. Personally," she prattled on, "I think you're just either scared, or maybe even jealous, of my skills as a ninja."

"Hah!" Reno chuckled. "Yeah, that's it, Yuffie. Cloud is jealous of your mad skills. Good one."

"Hmpf," Yuffie pouted. "You'll see, Reno. Cloud'll remember, and then…maybe he'll give me all of his materia!" She brightened at the very unrealistic prospect. _Hey, a girl can dream_…

Vincent laughed. "I think you need help, Yuffie. Like…a 12-step program for materia, or something like that."

Even Tseng, who was hovering near the stretcher, laughed at this. "Okay, back the stretcher up in here, guys," Tseng ordered, guiding the two stretcher bearers back into the elevator. "We're bringing Cloud up to the lab. I still have to run those tests," he said, glancing at Reno and catching his eye.

Reno sighed, knowing that Tseng was referring to the rape kit, amongst other things. "Yeah, I know, Tseng. I'm not leaving his side, yo," he stated firmly.

"Good," Tseng replied. "Cloud is definitely going to need you here."

"Not going anywhere," Reno repeated. He decided to make a bold move, and touched Cloud's hair, stroking it lightly, as they rode the elevator upwards. He didn't want to push things too fast, but he felt that Cloud was perhaps starting to open up to him_. What he just said to me….about being able to see why he fell in love with me…it gives me so much fucking hope_, Reno thought. _More than I had even ten minutes ago._

Of course, ever present at the back of Reno's mind, was the fact that if and when Cloud completely recovered his memory…the memories of the rape would also come flooding back. Reno sighed_. It probably can't be helped…but gods, I wish it could be. I wish it could be._

_

* * *

_

They arrived at the lab shortly thereafter, and Tseng had Cloud immediately change into what resembled a hospital gown, and then had him take a seat up on the nearby bed. The hanging silence was dreadful, and almost felt like a precursor to something horrid. _It's just tests that Tseng has to run_, Reno tried to assure himself_. Just…lab tests. That's all. _

It wasn't 'just lab tests' though, and Reno knew it. He knew that before too long, he or Tseng might have to explain to Cloud the reason for the tests….that he'd been raped_. I have never wanted to __**not**__ tell something to a person this badly_, fretted Reno.

Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie and Nanaki bid Cloud and Reno farewell, and asked Tseng to keep them apprised of Cloud's condition. He nodded, ushering everyone out, and shutting the door. "So," Tseng addressed Cloud and Reno. "Time to take some samples from you, Cloud, and I'll need to take photographs of your injuries as well. Reno," Tseng said, handing him a paper bag, "put Cloud's clothing in here, and we'll bring it down to evidence later."

"I'm going to take a small blood sample, Cloud," Tseng told him, as he administered a finger prick, catching the blood on a slide. "Hold this over the wound," he told Cloud, handing him a piece of gauze. Tseng placed the blood-soaked slide in a plastic bag, zipping it shut. He then handed Cloud a plastic cup. "We'll need a urine sample, Cloud," Tseng told him, almost robotically. Reno was almost taken aback at how cold and emotionless Tseng seemed to be, although he'd of course seen Tseng administer such tests countless times before. _Guess it's different when the subject is someone you care about_, thought Reno. He sighed, shifting in the chair that was next to the bed.

"You okay, Reno?" Cloud asked. "I need to…find the bathroom."

"I'm fine, Cloud," Reno assured him. "Don't worry about me, yo. And the bathroom is over here," he said, gesturing to a side door.

"Oh, sorry about that, Cloud," Tseng said absently. "I should have told you where it was. Do you need assistance getting over there?"

"Maybe a little," Cloud grimaced, as he gingerly got off of the bed. Reno rushed over to Cloud, putting an arm around his back to support him. "I've got ya, Cloud," Reno said. "Let's walk slow-like this way."

"Okay," Cloud whispered. He was starting to feel another inexplicable wave of pain coming on, and he hoped it wouldn't be as bad as the last one. Reaching the door, Reno helped Cloud inside, and shut the door behind him for privacy. Nearly a minute later, the door reopened, and an ashen looking Cloud handed the plastic cup over to Tseng, nearly collapsing in Reno's arms. "Cloud, come on….let's get you back to the bed again," Reno coaxed him. "I've got you, yo, don't worry."

"Hurts again," hissed Cloud. "It hurts so bad…"

Tseng approached Cloud, cotton swabs in hand. He inhaled sharply, trying to prepare himself for what he was about to do. "Cloud," Tseng said quietly. "I'll need you to lay on your side, and I'm going to have to take some swabs of…" he faltered. Clearing his throat, he continued, "I need to take swabs of your rectum."

Cloud raised his eyebrows at this. "Whatever for?" he asked innocently.

_Oh Gaia_, Reno thought, not saying a word_. I can't tell him…I just can't…_

Tseng sighed. "Cloud," he said seriously. "I'm going to tell you something that you clearly don't remember, and it may be upsetting. The reason I need to take all these samples is because…back in that cave, you were raped."

Cloud gasped audibly. "But…why? What…who would do such a thing?" He felt tears welling up and was unable to hold them back, they began falling in big, sloppy droplets.

"Sephiroth. That's who did it," Reno blurted. _Shit. Probably shouldn't have said that._ Tseng raised an eyebrow at this revelation, but said nothing.

"But….but I remember Sephiroth!" Cloud cried. "I remember him! He told me he loved me…that he hated me…oh Gaia, I remember it now! I remember the feathers….black feathers…everywhere…" Cloud dissolved into tears, weeping on Reno's shoulder.

Reno sighed, stroking Cloud's hair, and doing his damnedest not to break down into tears himself. "Cloud….I'm right here….I'm so sorry…so sorry I didn't get there in time…" he murmured.

Cloud looked up at Reno, his face stained with tears. "You….you killed him, didn't you, Reno," he blurted. "I remember it now. I remember…more than I did before. But why can't I fucking remember you, Reno?" he sobbed.

_Oh gods_, Cloud, Reno thought. _Don't do this to yourself…I'm about to fucking lose it here… _

"Cloud," Reno said firmly. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere…but I need you to let Tseng complete the exam, can you do that? I know it's hard, I know…"

"You have no fucking idea," Cloud said bitterly. "I'm sorry…I don't mean to take this out on you…" he faltered, apologizing.

"Don't, Cloud," Reno interrupted. "Just don't…apologize anymore. Let's get you through this, and then you can get cleaned up, okay?"

"Okay," agreed Cloud. "Go ahead, Tseng…whatever you need to do."

"All right, Cloud," said Tseng. "I'm just going to swab back here…please try to relax. Focus on Reno's face, if you think it will help."

Sighing, Cloud turned his eyes towards Reno. "This…really sucks," he remarked dryly.

"Yeah. I'll say," muttered Reno. "It'll be over soon, yo."

"That's done, Cloud," Tseng called. "I'm just going to snap some photographs now, for forensics.

"Shit," complained Cloud. "This is really…demeaning. I know you're just following procedure, Tseng…"

"Yes, it's the standard protocol, Cloud," assured Tseng. "I'm trying to do this as quickly as possible…then you can go shower."

Reno sat back in his chair, not knowing what to say or do, if anything. _I feel so fucking helpless…and useless, _he thought sadly, as Tseng kept clicking away with the camera.

"Okay," breathed Tseng. "I think I…have everything I need here. Reno, can you help Cloud find his way to the shower, and just…stand outside in case he needs help or something?"

"Absolutely, Tseng," Reno replied. "Oh hey – let me grab some clothes from my locker, for Cloud, okay? I've got shit in my gym locker. I can't promise it's clean though," he smiled. "Be right back, yo, in just a minute."

"That's fine, Reno," agreed Tseng. "I'll stay here with Cloud." Turning to him, Tseng asked, "How are you feeling, Cloud? Any pain?"

"Some," replied Cloud. "It comes in waves…feels like…burning, from inside my body…"

"Hmm," murmured Tseng. "Well, that's one reason I needed to take those samples…to find out what's causing this internal pain. I am truly sorry I had to do that to you, Cloud."

"It's not your fault, Tseng," Cloud replied, attempting a weak smile. "You're just doing what you're supposed to do."

"Oh!" exclaimed Tseng, suddenly remembering. "I nearly forgot. This may help with the pain…it's FullCure materia." He grabbed the glowing green orb, and ran it up and down Cloud's spine. "Does that help any?"

"It does, Tseng," Cloud smiled. "Thank you."

Reno re-entered the room, carrying several shirts and pairs of pants, along with a pair of boots. "Um, we're not really the same size, yo, but this will have to do," Reno said, as he placed the pile of clothing next to Cloud on the bed, the boots next to his bedside table.

"I want to shower now," Cloud declared. "I'm feeling better now…I think I can manage myself in there."

"Okay, Cloud," said Reno, looking worried. "I'll be right out here, if you need me. Oh – don't forget the clothes, yo," he said, handing the pile to Cloud.

Cloud nodded his thanks at Reno, taking the clothing with him into the bathroom, and shut the door behind him.

Reno sank back in his chair and let out a huge breath of air. "Gods, Tseng," he remarked. "That was nothing short of fucking awful," he said sadly.

"I know," Tseng replied sympathetically. "I'm going to take everything over to the lab now, okay? I'll leave you two together. I think he's making progress with his memory, Reno…I really do."

_Yeah_, thought Reno_. Except he's remembering all the wrong fucking things. " _I hope you're right, Tseng," Reno remarked. "I really do."

"I'll check back with you later, Reno," Tseng told Reno as he left the room.

Moments later, Reno heard the water shut off, Cloud must have finished up with his shower. He stayed seated where he was, not moving – did Cloud want his help, or not? Reno decided he'd better just wait until Cloud yelled for him or something.

"Hey, Reno," Cloud called out through the bathroom door, which was now slightly ajar. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Cloud," Reno answered, getting up abruptly from his chair. "What do you need, do you need help?"

"No…I'm okay, actually," Cloud replied. "Tseng cured me pretty well with that materia…I don't have any pain now, at least."

"That's great, yo!" Reno said happily. "I'm glad to hear that. Hey, I'll wait here for you…why don't you finish getting dressed, and we'll get you something to eat." Reno couldn't help but think, it was starting to feel like a first date. _Except for that elephant in the room…that Cloud still has no idea who I am…but he fucking knows who Sephiroth is_, Reno thought angrily.

Cloud emerged from the bathroom, wearing Reno's clothing, which hung loosely on him, given that Reno was a good six inches taller than Cloud. "Um…nice choice of shirts you gave me here, Reno," he laughed.

Looking up, Reno groaned. "Oh no!" he exclaimed. "Sorry, yo. I didn't even look at them!" The shirt Cloud was wearing said _Too Drunk To Fuck. _Grinning, he held up the other shirt Reno had brought him, which said _Fuck Like A Beast_.

"Oh, SHIT, Cloud," Reno stammered. "I…um…well, those are hardly fucking appropriate, are they? I'm sorry, yo."

"Don't apologize," laughed Cloud. "I thought they were funny. I'm not sure if this is something I would normally wear?" he questioned, smiling.

"Um, probably not," chuckled Reno. "It looks good on you though, Cloud," he said softly, staring at his lover – who was now a stranger.

Clearing his throat, Reno approached Cloud somewhat nervously. "Um…we can go eat in the cafeteria, I guess. Pizza okay with you?" he asked, absently playing with the end of his ponytail.

"Yeah. Pizza sounds good," agreed Cloud. He suddenly realized he was starving, as soon as Reno mentioned food. They made their way back toward the bank of elevators and got on. Reno depressed the button for the second floor, and the elevator lurched downward.

Reno and Cloud got off the elevator, and sauntered into the cafeteria, which was mostly vacant, as it was midafternoon. Reno grabbed a tray and a plate, and headed toward the pizza station. "Pepperoni and mushroom, Cloud?" Reno asked.

"Sure, that sounds good," Cloud replied. "I'll get us some sodas then." He wandered over to the soda machine and filled up two cups. _Shit, I didn't even ask him what he wanted_, worried Cloud. _Nice._

Reno paid for their purchases, and led Cloud over to a table that seemed to be quiet. He wanted to have a chance to talk to Cloud with no interruptions.

"So," Reno said as he sat down and grabbed a piece of pizza, "this kind of reminds me of our first date."

"Oh?" said Cloud between bites of pizza. "What'd we do on our first date?" he inquired innocently.

_Ha_, Reno thought wryly. _Fucked like rabbits? That's probably not a good answer…_

"Um…well, it wasn't much of a date, really," Reno admitted. "We ordered pizza and wings at your apartment and just…hung out."

"Ah," said Cloud. "So…apparently I have an apartment I can't remember either. Where is it?"

"It's in Edge, near Tifa's Seventh Heaven. You remember Tifa, who was with us before?" Reno asked.

"Oh yeah, Tifa," murmured Cloud. "Yes. She seems nice."

"Do you…remember anything else about Tifa?" Reno ventured, not wanting to blurt out that Cloud had also been in a relationship with her at one time. He was hesitant to reveal too much more to Cloud other than what he had already blurted out, knowing that Tseng wanted Cloud to remember things on his own as much as he could.

Cloud shook his head. "Nope. Not a thing," he admitted.

_Well, maybe I shouldn't feel so bad now,_ Reno mused. _He doesn't remember her, either…_

"Cloud, I want you to look at me," Reno said suddenly, grazing the back of Cloud's hand with his knuckles. He was staring intently into Cloud's oceanic blue eyes. "I know…I probably shouldn't be saying this, but I think you know it already, you've said as much. I love you, Cloud…I love you, and I'll do anything I can, to get us through this. I can only hope that you'll…remember me, and feel the same way toward me…eventually."

Reno felt his eyes start to water again, but he furiously blinked the tears away. "As long as it takes, Cloud," he continued. "No matter how long it takes, I will be here, by your side. Until you don't want me there…" he faltered.

"Oh, Reno," said Cloud sadly. "Why would I not want you with me? I know I can't tell you the things you want to hear, or feel the things you want me to feel…yet. But maybe I will someday, you know? And if I do," Cloud said firmly, "I want you there when it happens."

Reno smiled. "Like I told you…I ain't going anywhere, yo." He grasped Cloud's hand in his and squeezed it. Cloud smiled back at him, and squeezed Reno's hand in return.

_**I took a heavenly ride through our silence  
I knew the waiting had begun  
And headed straight..into the shining sun**_

**

* * *

**

*sigh* Another 8,000+ word chapter. Sorry! The words just keep pouring out, it's almost like I can't STOP. XD I was at 5400 words a few hours ago and kept going, and going, and going...

**Anyway. Things are finally starting to look up for Reno and Cloud….sort of.**** The angst is far from over though, unfortunately but I SO missed snarky, singing Reno, so here he is again. A little subdued, maybe, but he's back!  
**

**A few notes:**

**~Yes, people DO sing in their sleep like Reno does – I am told I do this a lot. Probably because I am always singing when I'm awake!**

_**~Painful Discharge**_** is an actual name of a punk band from the mid-80's – can't find shit about them on Teh Google. My best friend wrote their name all over my high school yearbook, and the name has always stuck with me. I think she has one of their albums – vinyl, bitch! – so I think I'm going to ask her to borrow it, I've forgotten what they sounded like. :)**

**~Reno's shirts – ah yes. "Too Drunk To Fuck", is, of course, the title of a seminal Dead Kennedys song, and "Fuck Like A Beast" is the title of a seminal song by W.A.S.P. I owned both such shirts at one time, and ended up in detention MANY times since they violated my school's uniform policy (I went to a Catholic school). It was worth it, yo. ;)**


	12. Tabula Rasa

**Few warnings for this chapter: Masturbation, and a bit of voyeurism. Bit of citrusy yaoi, too. :)**

**Songs quoted within: "Lovesong" by The Cure; "I Want You (She's So Heavy) by the Beatles; "Thinking of You" by Perfect Circle (props to Princess Turk for that song suggestion!); "Slow an' Easy" by Whitesnake. I own none of them, they are only quoted to set the mood. Nor do I own Final Fantasy, although I wish I did...Square Enix has that honor.**

**Please read, review, and enjoy! xoxoxo**

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* * *

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It was one of those awkward hanging silences, and the longer Reno sat at the small cafeteria table, nervously exchanging glances with Cloud, the more pissed off he got. He was pissed because he felt there shouldn't _be_ any awkward hanging silences at this point. They had just begun a relationship, for gods' sake – just days before, really, and now….Tabula Rasa. A blank slate, that's what Cloud was now.

Sure, Reno could convince himself that Cloud was starting to open up to him, the more they talked – hell, maybe Cloud was even finding himself drawn to Reno – but the fact remained, Cloud's mind still wasn't connecting all of the dots. That was the thing that frustrated Reno the most.

Reno had bemoaned the unfairness of the situation so much, that he was starting to annoy himself with his inner whining. He didn't want to voice such complaints out loud, other than nodding along sympathetically whenever Cloud said he wished he could remember Reno, and then echoing that sentiment.

He felt Cloud's hand ever-so-gently squeeze his in return, but was that….anything of substance? Something he could hang hope onto? Reno wasn't so sure. He wanted to throw his pessimism to the wind, and to hell with this cautious optimism. He wanted to have some damned _hope_. But, as Tseng had warned both he and Cloud, nothing would happen overnight.

"Can I…" Cloud asked hesitantly, "can I ask you something, Reno?" He was frowning, and Reno wondered exactly what was going through Cloud's brain at that moment. Was he recalling another traumatic memory?

"Of course, Cloud," Reno said quietly, still brushing hands with Cloud. "What is it?"

"I know Tseng wants me to try and remember on my own—" Cloud began, almost apologetically.

"Fuck Tseng," Reno growled, cutting Cloud off. "Sorry, yo. I just don't see any need to torture you like this, you know? I mean, I'm not going to fill in every single blank for you, but….if you have questions here and there, I really don't see what the big deal is." He shrugged his shoulders, his hand still not breaking contact with Cloud's hand. _Gaia, I just want to reach out…touch his face…_

"I'm wondering about Sephiroth," Cloud said, looking up at Reno questioningly.

Reno frowned. _Fuck. Sephiroth? I am not the right person to answer whatever it is Cloud is asking… _"Yeah, um….what about him?" Reno drawled, trying in vain not to wear his anger on his face too visibly.

"Well," Cloud said, clearing his throat, "I wondered…what possible reason Sephiroth could have had for…what he did to me? And how did I get in that cave, anyway? Did he bring me there?"

Reno sighed. "He was always fucking obsessed with you, Cloud, like to the point of insanity," he explained wearily. He wanted to destroy not only you, but everything you ever cared about…but he also wanted to claim you, I guess. The sick fuck." Reno spat angrily.

"Oh," Cloud replied, looking a bit stunned. "That's…well, bizarre, to say the least. I wasn't…involved with him, was I, Reno?"

Reno blanched at this question. "Fuck no, Cloud!" he exclaimed. "No, you and Sephiroth were never together like that." He suddenly remembered the letter in his pocket…Cloud's letter. "Cloud, I want to show you something…maybe it will help jog your memory, I don't know." Taking the letter out of his jacket pocket, he handed it to Cloud. "Go on, open it," Reno urged him.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, as he unfolded the paper.

"It's the last thing you wrote, Cloud," Reno said quietly. "The last letter you wrote to me…before you went into the cave, and confronted Sephiroth."

Cloud read the letter silently, and without emotion – until he got to the last line, and then he choked up slightly.

"_I love you more than life, Reno…even my own."_

"Oh Gaia," stammered Cloud, his lip trembling. "That's just…just…oh man. I don't even know what to say, or what to think about that."

"You did it for me," Reno told Cloud, taking his hands in his again, and staring deeply into his blue eyes. "You did it for me, Cloud, trying to protect me, and I love you for that, I do. But…I almost hate you for it, too!" Reno's voice began to shake, and he stood up abruptly from the table, nearly knocking his chair over.

Cloud's eyes widened. "You…hate me? For trying to…save you?" he asked sadly. "Why?"

"Because," Reno snarled, his tears starting to flow freely now, "I don't fucking need saving. And I don't need anyone being a goddamned martyr for me. Particularly the one person I love more than anything in this life. That's the _last_ fucking thing I wanted, Cloud."

Sitting back in his chair, Cloud looked downward, almost shamefaced. "I'm sorry, Reno. When you put it like that, I guess…I fucked up. Apparently I…shouldn't have gone there."

Reno glanced over at Cloud, feeling remorseful for lashing out at him like that. "No, Cloud," he said tiredly. "Because…you know what? I would have done the same fucking thing for you. Yeah, I was angry when you took off like that…but Gaia knows, I would have done the same for you, if our positions were reversed."

Cloud digested this for a moment. "Reno," he began quietly. "Do you think it was…my fault that Sephiroth…r-raped me?"

"No, Cloud!" Reno practically shouted, seating himself next to Cloud and embracing him. "I would never think that! If it's anyone's fault," Reno cried, "it's mine. I was too late to stop him. If it hadn't been for that fucking dragon…"

"Please don't blame yourself, Reno," Cloud begged. "I guess what happened…happened. There's nothing we can do to change it. Let's just move on…try to get our lives back."

As if on cue, Reno's cell phone rang. "Well, shit," he muttered, withdrawing his arm from around Cloud's shoulders. "It's Tseng," he said briefly, as he glanced at the cell phone's display. "Yo," Reno answered. "What's going on, Tseng?"

"Reno," began Tseng. "We're still collating the data. While the lab's working on the test results though, I thought I could start with Cloud's hypnotherapy. Nothing too lengthy or anything like that – I know we're all exhausted, but I want to see if Cloud even responds in the first place."

"Okay," agreed Reno. "And just so you know – I showed Cloud that letter he wrote, just now," Reno said, looking at Cloud. "He had some questions, and I thought the letter might…help. I don't know."

"All right," replied Tseng. "Can you bring Cloud now, and meet me at my office in ten minutes?"

"Sure, Tseng, not a problem. Oh, hey – this isn't gonna make you late for your date with Laney, is it?" Reno inquired.

Tseng chuckled. "Don't worry about that. Like I said, this won't take long…I'll have plenty of time to meet with Elena later."

"Okay, see you in a few. Bye Tseng," he replied, and disconnected the call. "So," Reno said, turning back to Cloud, "looks like we'll be going to see Tseng in a few. Are you up for a little bit of hypnosis?"

"Yeah, I think I can handle it. I hope so, anyway," replied Cloud. "Let's go_." I hope this works_, thought Cloud. _The more time I spend with Reno, the more…confused I am, about my feelings. _

Reno brought their tray over to the trash can, and dumped it. Putting his arm around Cloud's shoulders again, he led him out of the cafeteria_. We probably look just like any other couple right now_, mused Reno. _But nothing could be further from the truth…we have a long way to go._

_

* * *

_

Back at Seventh Heaven, Tifa, Elena and Rude were seated around a small table. The restaurant was still shuttered, with the closed sign still in the window. Tifa was beyond exhausted, and in no mood to get reopen the restaurant and get back to work. Tomorrow she'd have no choice but to open; losing income for a day and a half was certainly going to hurt. She was grateful that Denzel and Marlene were staying with a neighbor until tomorrow, when both would return. She knew that Denzel had plans to go bowling with Cloud on Sunday, just a few days away. Tifa wondered if Cloud would even be up to it. It was more than likely Cloud had no idea who either Denzel or Marlene were_. I guess we'll cross that bridge later_, Tifa thought sadly.

Vincent, Yuffie, and Barret were seated at the bar, Nanaki laying on the floor nearby. "I wonder how Cloud is doing," murmured Nanaki. "I can't….sense anything right now. I don't know if that's good or bad," he concluded glumly.

Frowning , Vincent nodded. "Neither can I, Nanaki," he admitted, looking worried. "And I hate to say this, but…there is something else that I am picking up on…"

"What, Vin?" Yuffie asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"It's just that…well, I shouldn't speculate, but…I don't believe Sephiroth is truly gone."

"Oh, that's just great," groaned Barret. "Seriously, can't that guy just fucking die already?"

Rude sighed, putting his arm around Tifa, who looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Please, Vincent," she pleaded. "Tell me you're kidding…or mistaken…or, something! I just can't take this anymore!"

"Maybe I should inform Tseng…and Reno," muttered Rude, reaching for his cell phone – but Tifa stopped him. "No," she said. "Tell Tseng if you want, fine – but leave Reno and Cloud alone. They're trying to…rebuild everything they just lost. Let them be," she said firmly.

"But…" Rude argued, "assuming Vincent is right…shouldn't we at least warn Reno? Sephiroth could…come after Cloud, you know."

"You remember what happened last time we laid all the cards on the table, right?" Tifa remarked bitterly. "Cloud took off like a bat out of hell, and then…." Her voice faltered.

Elena, grimacing, said, "Tifa…I do agree with you, but I'll tell you one thing: Reno will NOT like it when he finds out we've been hiding something from him."

"He doesn't have to find out," whispered Tifa. "Neither one of them have to ever find out….at least not right now. Please, Rude? Please don't say anything?" She began to cry softly.

_Shit. Not the tears_, thought Rude. "Okay, Teef," he reluctantly agreed. "I won't say anything – for now. But I will tell Tseng. And besides, we don't have any proof of anything…it's just a hunch of Vincent's, right? Maybe…maybe Vincent is wrong."

However, Rude had the same thought as everyone else who was gathered in the room_: Vincent is never wrong about these things._

* * *

Reno and Cloud exited the infirmary, and made their way back down to Tseng's office. The atmosphere between the two wasn't exactly tense, nor was it relaxed. Reno felt horrible about getting angry with Cloud. _'I almost hate you' – what the fuck was that about! I really am an asshole, _he thought , Reno was mostly angry with himself than anyone else, for letting himself get pissed off like that_. Cloud doesn't deserve that_, he thought. _He's been through enough already._

Cloud was lost in his own tumult of thoughts, as they traversed the hallway toward Tseng's office. It was true…he was starting, ever so slowly, to open up to Reno. The very idea both excited and frightened Cloud…and confused him, too. _In fact_, Cloud thought_, I might even be…falling for him? Gods, I don't even know what to think anymore. Maybe I'm just…confused. Story of my life, _he thought sadly.

_**Whenever I'm alone with you  
You make me feel like I am whole again  
**_

"Here it is, yo," Reno said suddenly, as they approached Tseng's office. It was, by now, late afternoon – nearly quitting time for most of the nine-to-fivers who worked at ShinRa. Reno didn't bother to knock – Tseng was expecting him, after all, and, as he reasoned - why in the hell should the second-in-command of the Turks, have to fucking knock? He flung open the door abruptly, startling Tseng, who was in his usual position – hunched over his desk, poring over reports.

Tseng looked up suddenly upon this intrusion, and said nothing, but got up from his seat. "Thanks for coming, Reno. Cloud," he greeted the pair. "Now, this won't take long…we're going to do a full session of hypnotherapy tomorrow, just so you know," he warned. "The whole point of this, is to see how easily you can be put under."

Cloud frowned, then asked, "Just what is involved with hypnotizing someone, Tseng?"

"Yeah," interjected Reno. "I've been wondering the same. I've heard it's just a stupid parlor trick…but I'm sure if that was the case you wouldn't be trying this, right Tseng?"

"Right," replied Tseng affirmatively. "Hypnosis is basically…an altered state of consciousness. We find ourselves hypnotized, to a degree, in our daily lives. If you've ever found yourself driving on 'auto-pilot', so to speak…that's similar to hypnosis. "

Reno cackled. "Uh, yeah – I think I've flown the chopper on auto-pilot, yo," he said, laughing.

Rolling his eyes, Tseng replied, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, Reno. Now, Cloud? You think you're up for this?" he asked. "We can certainly put it off until tomorrow, if you're too tired."

"I'm tired, but I think I can handle this," Cloud smiled. "I'm ready when you are."

"Excellent," beamed Tseng. "Cloud, I'm going to have you sit over there," he said, indicating a futon on the far side of his office. "Reno…take a seat anywhere over here, if you will," Tseng continued, indicating a group of chairs toward his desk. "I'll be taking a seat near Cloud."

Both Reno and Cloud exchanged a quick glance, then turned to take their respective seats. "Okay, yo," Reno said. "Let's do this, Tseng."

Tseng moved away from his desk, away from Reno, and made his way toward a small table that was adjacent to where Cloud was now seated in Tseng's office. He pulled a somewhat dusty metronome from the back, and set it up on the small glass coffee table that was right next to Cloud's seat. Tseng then dimmed the lights in the room, and took his seat.

"Feel free to lay down on the futon, Cloud," Tseng told him. "I want you as relaxed as possible." Shrugging his shoulders, Cloud complied, wordlessly. "Good," encouraged Tseng. "Reno, you don't have to leave, but I'll need complete silence while this is going on, " Tseng cautioned.

"Not a problem," Reno agreed easily. "You won't even know I'm here, yo."

"Excellent. Then we can begin." Tseng turned on the metronome, the gentle _tap tap tap_ sound reverberating through Tseng's virtually silent office. "Cloud…I want you to concentrate on my voice, first and foremost. Do not focus solely on the metronome, but just let it lull you into a state of relaxation. Cloud, do you think you can do that?"

"Yes," replied Cloud drowsily. Between his exhaustion, and the oddly soothing sound of the ticking metronome, Cloud was already feeling extremely relaxed; so much so, that he feared he might simply fall asleep on the futon.

"Very good," replied Tseng. "Now, you will only respond to my voice, whenever I ask you a question. We're going to try going back as far as we can, in your memory. Cloud…we're traveling back in time, back to your childhood…can you remember being a young boy?"

"Yes," replied Cloud. "In Nibelheim."

Tseng raised an eyebrow and exchanged a glance with Reno, who sat forward in his chair excitedly, careful not to make a sound. _This is very encouraging_, Tseng thought, _and right off the bat…_

"Tell me more about your childhood, Cloud," Tseng continued with his questioning. "What is your earliest memory?"

"Mama," Cloud replied, almost immediately. "My mama…she's…dead," Cloud said without emotion.

"How did she die, Cloud?" Tseng asked quietly.

"Fire," Cloud replied. "In…a fire. Everyone…died. The flames…were so hot…Sephiroth…he was there…"

Tseng's eyes blazed with excitement. _This…this was some progress_, he thought, highly encouraged by the rapid results thus far. However, Tseng decided not to go any further with his line of questioning at the moment, for fear that Cloud might react badly, especially given that he hadn't had any proper sleep, save for a catnap aboard the Highwind, in many hours.

"Okay, Cloud…I think that's enough for right now. I'm going to count backwards from ten, and when I finish…you'll come to, and I'll put the lights back on in here. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Cloud replied sleepily.

Tseng began his countdown. "Ten…nine…eight…seven…"

Reno was practically jumping out of his skin, following Cloud's brief hypnotherapy session. He couldn't believe how easily Cloud was put under hypnosis, nor could he believe how easily Cloud recalled his hometown of Nibelheim, and the death of his mother. _It seems too good to be true, _he thought. _I hope it's not…I hope tomorrow's session is just as successful._

"…six…five…four…three…two…one…" Tseng droned, completing the countdown. "Hello, Cloud, are you there, Cloud?"

Slowly stirring, Cloud opened his eyes, blinking a few times and looking around. He sat up on the futon, and put his head in his hands. "Oh Gaia," he sniffled, "my…my mother. I saw it all, Tseng…I saw it all just now, and I remember."

"That's very encouraging, Cloud," Tseng replied. "I'm sorry that the subject matter was so upsetting, however," Tseng said sympathetically. Reno had gotten up from his chair and made his way over to the futon, to sit next to Cloud. "Hey," he said softly, his hands folded in his lap. "Are you okay, Cloud?"

Raising his eyes to meet Reno's, Cloud nodded. "Yeah," he replied quietly. "I'm okay. Just a little…emotionally drained right now. I really need to get some sleep, I think," he yawned. A thought suddenly crossed Cloud's mind. "Speaking of that, um…where am I supposed to sleep tonight? At my apartment, I guess?" he inquired. "Except," Cloud laughed, "I don't even know how to get there!"

"I do," Reno replied immediately. "I can take you there, whenever you want," he offered.

Tseng frowned slightly. "Cloud," he began, "I don't mean to sound overly cautious, but…I really don't think you should be staying alone right now, given everything you've been through. Reno…would you mind?"

Reno didn't hesitate in replying. "Absolutely," he told Tseng. "I can stay with you, Cloud…that is, if you don't mind. I'll sleep on your couch, yo."

Cloud smiled nervously, and nodded his permission_. Dear Gaia_, he thought_. My boyfriend, who I don't even remember knowing, is going to be with me in my apartment that I don't remember having. All alone. Ah, the irony…_

"That's fine, Reno," Cloud replied. "This doesn't mean we're going to run out and get married or anything, thought," he joked, chuckling nervously. _Shit, Cloud! Why the hell did you make that stupid joke! Awkward…_

Reno's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up. "Um, good one, Cloud," he laughed uneasily. "I'll be a perfect gentleman, no need to worry about me." _What the hell was that about? _Reno wondered. _That was a…weird joke. Cute, but…weird, coming from an amnesiac Cloud. Married. Imagine that…wouldn't that be nice, someday…if we ever get back to where we were, _Reno mused_. I guess only time will tell, if Cloud and I ever recapture what we had…no, still have. I refuse to believe our love has died, it hasn't._

"Thank you, Reno," said Tseng, interrupting Reno's reverie. "I think it's for the best, Cloud…get a good night's sleep, and I'll see you back here tomorrow at 10:00 a.m."

"Okay, Tseng," replied Cloud, as he and Reno got up from the futon. "And thank you, Tseng. For everything."

"You're welcome, Cloud," Tseng smiled at him. "I hope we have the same degree of success tomorrow. Good night."

"Oh hey, Tseng," Reno called to Tseng, as they turned to leave, "have fun on your date tonight, yo. Give Laney my regards."

"I will, Reno," Tseng beamed. "And Reno? Don't do anything…stupid tonight, okay?"

Frowning, Reno growled, "Anything 'stupid', Tseng?" Lowering his voice, Reno snapped, "I know what you're driving at, Tseng, and I'm not about to bed him, okay? He's been through enough shit, for Gaia's sake."

"Sorry," apologized Tseng. "I didn't mean to overstep, I just—"

"I know, Tseng, I know," Reno sighed wearily. "Nobody understands more than me, just how fucking fragile the situation is." He glanced up at Cloud, who was waiting for him by the door. "Good night, Tseng."

* * *

Dangling a keychain in front of Reno, Cloud asked, "Um…I found these in my pants before, I guess they must be keys to my apartment….and this one," he said, holding up a smaller, engraved pewter key, "this one must be for my car?" Cloud said questioningly.

Reno snorted. "You don't have a car, yo," he chuckled. "That's the key to Fenrir. Your motorcycle."

"Ahh," replied Cloud. "A motorcycle. That sounds oddly familiar, now that you mention it. I mean, I know I know how to ride one, at least." Cocking an eyebrow at Reno, Cloud asked, "Is it a badass motorcycle? Or one of those day-glo sissy kind?" he laughed.

Reno laughed along with Cloud. "Cloud…your motorcycle is probably the most badass fucking thing I've ever seen. Actually, I'm surprised it hasn't sprouted a penis," he chortled. _I'd love to tell him the last thing we did on that motorcycle_, Reno recalled, a grin lighting his face.

"You know, that was pretty damned funny, Reno," Cloud giggled. "I like how you make me laugh." He blushed after he said it.

"Heh…well, I do what I can, yo," Reno quipped, grinning. "Come on…let's get you home. And I'm pretty fucking hungry again…why don't we get something to eat along the way. Sushi okay with you, Cloud?"

"That sounds good, Reno," replied Cloud. "It's funny, isn't it? I can remember that I like sushi, but so many other things…not at all."

"It'll come, Cloud, it'll come," Reno said reassuringly. "You made a huge amount of progress today, yo. Tseng was very encouraged."

"I know," replied Cloud, smiling. "I was feeling pretty encouraged too. Let's get out of here and eat, okay?"

"We can walk, Cloud…it's only a few blocks away," Reno said. "Come on, I know a good sushi place right near there."

Cloud was quite impressed that Kimo's sushi restaurant, which, in Reno's words, "looks like a fucking hole in the wall", served some most excellent sushi and sashimi. Both were extremely hungry when they sat down to order, and Reno declared that he wanted "one of everything" upon perusing the menu. He compromised and ordered the sushi and sashimi boat for two, which had a little bit of everything. Reno was impressed that Cloud apparently remembered how to use chopsticks. It was interesting to note that Cloud had no issues with recalling motor skills_. And thank Gaia for that_, mused Reno.

"I want that one," Cloud declared, practically stabbing a piece of dragon roll with his chopstick. Wasabi flew out of the tightly wound roll, and hit Reno squarely in the eye, instantly burning his cornea. "Ow! Motherfucker, that stings!" groaned Reno, dabbing at his eye with a napkin.

"Shit, Reno, I'm sorry!" Cloud apologized profusely. An odd look passed over Cloud's face. "Um…yeah….I'm…really sorry, Reno," he muttered distractedly, repeating himself. _Déjà vu, I'm having déjà vu_….thought Cloud_. I feel like this has happened before, but when…how…?_

"Yeah, well you should be, yo," teased Reno. "That stuff fucking burns." Still dabbing at his watering eye, Reno noticed Cloud's expression. "Something wrong, Cloud?" he inquired.

"Reno…" Cloud began, a puzzled look on his face, "Why do I feel…like this has happened before?" He knitted his brows together, concentrating.

"I assure you," Reno remarked dryly, "this is the first time you've flung wasabi into my eyeball."

"Huh," Cloud muttered. "It just felt like…déjà vu for a moment there. Eh, it's probably nothing," Cloud dismissed the idea, with a shake of his head.

"Hold on a second, yo," Reno interjected, his interest suddenly piqued. "Did you just…remember something having to do with me….with us? Or was it just something…random. I mean, this is definitely not the first time we've grabbed sushi together, you know? I was just wondering…"

Furrowing his brow, Cloud concentrated. "I'm not entirely sure, Reno," sighed Cloud, sounding defeated. "No, I just got this…weird feeling…after you got the wasabi in your eye…I don't know how to explain it, I just got this weird feeling…as if I was reliving something that had already happened."

Reno was just as puzzled as Cloud was. Whatever Cloud was trying so desperately to recall, wasn't ringing any bells with Reno. Still, he was feeling very encouraged, that maybe Cloud would remember him eventually, after all_. Someday…_

"Hey, don't worry about it, Cloud," Reno assured him. "We'll mention it to Tseng tomorrow though, for sure." The waiter arrived with their check, and Reno reached for his wallet to pay. "Here ya go," he said, handing several gil notes to the server. "Keep the change, thanks."

"Hey, thanks for dinner, Reno," Cloud said, smiling. "That was really good."

"It was good, yeah, except for the wasabi injury to my fucking EYE," joked Reno. "Come on…let's get you home now."

Exiting the restaurant, Reno noticed Cloud giving him sideways glances, somewhat shyly. The moment Reno would make eye contact with Cloud, he'd quickly look away, blushing, as if denying the fact that he was checking out Reno_. He really is checking me out, isn't he_, marveled Reno_. I'd know that coy, flirty expression that is so uniquely Cloud's, anywhere_. Reno grinned hugely, not saying a word, and shoved his hands in his pockets as they made their way down the streets of Edge, toward Cloud's apartment.

Things were feeling so good, that Reno wondered if and when the other shoe was going to drop. _No_, he told himself_. Just live in the moment. Don't chase trouble…_

Cloud's apartment building was now within sight. "Here it is, yo," Reno told Cloud. "You got your key, I hope?"

"Yeah…right here," said Cloud, holding up his key ring. "I'll try this one first," he said, as he inserted the larger key into the main door. It clicked open as Cloud turned it counter-clockwise. "Good guess on that one," Cloud remarked. He was suddenly feeling nervous, as Reno followed him into the foyer, and he wasn't sure exactly why. _Well, I know some of the reasons why_, Cloud thought_. I'm definitely attracted to him…but, there's all that unspoken history between us that I still can't remember. Maybe I should just stop dwelling on that and live in the moment? _

Reno was having similar thoughts, but of a more urgent and uncomfortable nature. Try as he might to ignore it…there was no overlooking the fact that he was sporting an enormous erection. The day's frustrations and mixed signals from Cloud had finally gotten to Reno, and he was quite literally hurting and pent up. _Fuck_, he thought worriedly_, I need to do something about this…and obviously, fucking Cloud is not part of the evening's plans, as much as I'd like it to be._

_**I want you**_

_**I want you so bad**_

_**I want you so bad, it's driving me mad, it's driving me mad…**_

"Well….ah," stammered Cloud, "I guess this is home sweet home." He put his keys down on the breakfast bar, and smiled back nervously at Reno. "Um…this is going to sound weird, but I guess I have to show myself around. I feel like I just checked into a fucking hotel, but this is my own place." He chuckled nervously.

"Well," Reno offered, scratching his head, "I suppose I could show you around…weird as it sounds. I don't know where you keep shit in your kitchen, because I don't really cook…come to think of it, neither do you, except for breakfast." Reno laughed.

Cloud grinned. "Well, maybe I need to change that. Eating out all the time can get expensive."

Reno shifted uncomfortably, suddenly taking notice of the urgency of his 'little problem.' "Um….Cloud? If you don't mind, after I show you around a bit, do you mind if I just take a bath? I'm wicked sore, yo," he asked, looking a bit sheepish.

"Of course," said Cloud. "I'm sure you're just as exhausted as I am." He yawned, as if to punctuate the statement. "Ha. Yeah, obviously, I'm tired."

"Don't you start with that yawning shit, it's contagious, yo," Reno laughed. "Okay, Cloudy. Follow me…obviously, you've seen the kitchen. Where everything is, I have no fucking idea. Oh, but I DO know where you keep your coffee. That's vital. Over here's the living room," he gestured. The room was fairly neat, save for an empty pizza box, and a few empty beer bottles.

"Nice," chuckled Cloud. "I guess I'm a typical bachelor. Did I have a party here or something?"

"Actually," said Reno, wincing a bit at the memory, "that's from a few nights ago…we ordered pizza ."

"Ah," smiled Cloud. "Is that all we ever did, is to eat out?"

"Pretty much, yo," laughed Reno. "Well, and we would drink like fish." He chuckled_. Amongst other things…_

"Bedroom's on the right…and your bathroom's adjoining, over there," Reno pointed through the doorway. He felt himself stumble over something hard that clinked against the hardwood floor. Looking down, he noticed the empty tequila bottle. Picking it up, Reno smiled sadly, remembering exactly what Cloud did with that tequila just a few nights prior.

"Yeah," said Reno, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Guess I'll put this in the recycling bin…um, I'm just going to run my bath, if you don't mind, yo."

"No, it's fine, Reno. Please, make yourself at home. I'll take that bottle and put it in the sink or something. You know," he remarked, " I'm kind of hungry again. I'm going to look for some food…hopefully I actually have food out in that kitchen."

"Dude, we just ate!" Reno laughed. "I have no idea how you fucking pack it away, Cloud, but you eat like a farmhand."

Cloud shrugged his shoulders in that nonchalant way that Reno so loved. "I don't know why I'm hungry again, to tell you the truth. You want anything?"

"Nah, I'm good, Cloud…thanks, though. I just need a nice hot bath, and sleep," replied Reno, yawning.

"Okay. I'll…see if I can find blankets and shit for you," said Cloud. "Hey, if you want, you can have the bed, I'll take the couch, I don't mind."

"Dude, no," insisted Reno. "I could sleep on the damned floor at this point…the couch is fine. Really." He smiled at Cloud, then turned away, starting to feel more uncomfortable...and _hard_...the longer their conversation dragged out.

* * *

Cloud made his way back to the kitchen, and began opening each cabinet once he got there, trying to memorize the contents of each. He then scoped out his refrigerator, which emitted a questionable smell upon being opened. It was relatively neat and sparse in its contents. " I don't think I want to know what that smell is," Cloud said to himself, wrinkling his nose. He noticed a carton of eggs, which seemed to be well before the sell-by date. _Think I'll make an omelet or something_, he thought. He found some cooked bacon bits that thankfully weren't green, and some shredded cheese, which unfortunately was a mottled green. "That's the culprit," Cloud muttered, tossing it into the trash. He dug further into one of the drawers, and located some pepper jack cheese that was devoid of any mold.

_A pepper jack and bacon omelet sounds pretty good right now_, Cloud thought. He located a frying pan that was hanging on the small pot rack riveted to the brick wall next to the stove, and placed it on a burner . Cloud busied himself whisking the eggs and seasonings into a small bowl, humming as he did so. He felt oddly…domestic, or something. But he also felt something he hadn't felt in over twenty-four hours…he felt at ease. No longer anxious. I guess I really am home, he thought, smiling, as he dumped the egg mixture into the preheated pan.

Meanwhile, Reno had drawn his bath water, and stripped. He slowly lowered himself into the steaming tub, exhaling as he did so. _Ahh, just what I needed_, thought Reno. _A cold shower might have been more appropriate, though_, he mused wryly, as he looked down at his erect member, bobbing up and down in the water. Reno decided it was time to take care of matters, or he would never be getting any sleep. He grabbed his cock, gasping as he did so, the heated water swirling into the slit. The sensation was driving him crazy, as were the images going through his head; he pictured Cloud spread-eagled and blindfolded on the bed just outside the bathroom, just as he had been during their last night spent together. "Oh Cloud," he whispered, as he fisted his cock, "I love you so much…this is fucking killing me, yo." Quickening his strokes, Reno groaned slightly, and winced, willing himself to shut the fuck up so Cloud wouldn't hear him. He noticed a small bottle of bath oil on the side of the tub, and decided this might help facilitate things. Uncapping the bottle, he squirted a bit in his hand…._Gaia,_ _it smelled just like Cloud_, and slicked the head of his cock with it. _Mmmm, now that feels good_, Reno thought, as he inhaled sharply.

_**Tuggin' a rhythm to the vision that's in my head,  
Tuggin' a beat to the sight of you lying so delighted with a new understanding**_

Reno starting building a rhythm and momentum, as he kept at it, thrusting his hips upward as he fucked his hand. He was trying to be as quiet as possible in his ministrations, but he knew he was about to reach his climax, and was never exactly quiet about coming, as a general rule.

_**That unmistakable sound that I know so well-  
Spent and sighing with a look in your eyes….**_

His left hand had nothing better to do, so he decided to insert a finger…and then another one, up his ass. _Oh fuck_, groaned Reno. _That fucking did it._ He arched his back as his middle finger brushed his prostate, and then….banged his head on the back of the tub. _Fuck. Real slick there, you idiot._

Out in the kitchen, Cloud had finished eating his omelet – he had made two, in case Reno changed his mind and decided he was hungry – when he heard the noise in the bathroom. "Reno?" he called. "Are you okay?" No answer.

Cloud quietly crept toward the bedroom, his feet clad only in his socks. The light in the bedroom was off, but the light shone brightly beneath the bathroom door…which, was not completely shut, Cloud noticed. His heart beating faster, Cloud tiptoed closer still…he could see Reno's head slumped backward over the tub, his mouth hanging open, but…he wasn't unconscious.

_He's….gods, Reno's jerking off in my bathtub!_ Cloud realized, and was a bit shocked…a bit amused….and, he had to admit - more than a bit turned on. He gulped, noting that he himself was getting hard the longer he stood there and watched Reno, who was mercifully oblivious that he now had an audience.

Reno audibly groaned…softly, but still, Cloud heard it from where he was standing. He heard the swish of bath water as Reno's hand moved more and more rapidly. Cloud slowly slid his hand down the front of his own pants_….no, I shouldn't do this…should not be standing here watching him…what the fuck am I doing?_

_**My heart is beating faster, babe,  
It's beating like a big bass drum**_

_Oh Gaia_, Cloud thought, as he took his cock in his hand and began stroking slowly. _What the fuck is wrong with me? I'm a fucking peeping Tom!_

_**So take me down slow an' easy,  
Make love to me slow an' easy…  
**__**Rock me 'til I'm burned to the bone**_

"Oh shit!" Reno yelled, unable to control his vocal cords as he came, hot jets of cum shooting up over his stomach. _Fuckpuppets_, Reno silently cursed himself, _I really need to learn to control that shit._

Cloud froze, and suddenly realized that he needed to either announce his presence, or get the fuck out of the room before Reno realized he was there. He decided to knock on the bathroom door and announce himself. Yanking his hand out of his pants, Cloud knocked deliberately and loudly. "Hey, Reno," he called. "I um…made you an omelet too, in case you wanted some," Cloud offered.

"Oh, um….okay, Cloud," Reno sputtered. "Um….let me towel off, yo. Maybe I'll have a few bites, okay?"

"Okay," replied Cloud, a bit weakly. _Dear Gaia….what just happened in there?_

"Well, fuck me running," Reno said to himself as he stepped out of the warm bath, and toweled off his steam-reddened skin_. I really hope Cloud didn't hear me in there..._

He quickly dried off, and threw on some sweat pants and a t-shirt – the other one he had found in his gym locker, that had the slogan _Fuck Like A Beast_ emblazoned on the front. Looking at himself in the mirror, Reno laughed. "Classy as fuck, as always!" he chirped to his reflection. He padded off to the kitchen, where Cloud was sitting at the breakfast bar, staring silently into a cup of tea, stirring a spoon around in it distractedly.

"That smells good, yo," Reno said, smiling, as he entered the kitchen. "What's in it?"

Cloud started upon hearing Reno's voice. He was still feeling awkward and uncomfortable over what he had just witnessed…and what he himself had almost done_. _Unfortunately, Cloud was wearing his discomfort on his face, and Reno picked up on it.

"Um…it's got bacon and pepper jack in it," Cloud muttered, breaking eye contact with Reno. "Onions, and peppers…"

Reno knew something was up with Cloud, but sat down and dug into the omelet. "I'm only eating a few bites, yo…I can't eat too much right before bed, but I wanted to see how chef Cloud made out in the kitchen," he said, winking at Cloud. He chewed a few bites thoughtfully and appreciatively. "This is pretty fucking good, yo. I hope you make this for me again."

"Yeah," Cloud replied, smiling slightly. "I'm sure I will."

Frowning, Reno asked Cloud, "What's wrong, Cloudy? You seem…quiet all of a sudden. Are you just tired?"

Cloud sighed. He knew this much – that he wasn't a very good liar, so he might as well come out with it. "I saw you, Reno," he blurted. "In the tub, I saw…" His voice faltered.

"Oh SHIT, Cloud," Reno said sheepishly. "I have to apologize, that was…well, I could have been a little more quiet or something….ahh, this is embarrassing."

Cloud's cheeks were burning, and turning crimson. "No," he interrupted Reno. "You don't seem to understand, Reno_. I watched_."

Reno's eyes widened, as did his grin. "You did what, Cloud?" he exclaimed. "You little fucking pervert!" he chortled.

Cloud frowned, looking puzzled. "You're not…angry with me?" he asked innocently.

Doubling over, Reno burst into laughter. "Mad at you? For watching me jerk off?" he chuckled. "Um, not at all, Cloud. Do you know what this means!" Reno asked excitedly.

"Um," stammered Cloud. "That I'm a voyeur?"

Reno guffawed at this. "No, silly. It means…you're attracted to me. You must…remember something about me…about us?" Reno said questioningly.

"I don't know, Reno," Cloud said honestly. "I have moments of…familiarity, but I don't have any outright clarity, or specific memories of you. Like that déjà vu moment I had before. I felt like I was reliving a moment in my life…and I _think_ you were there, but I can't be sure…"

Reno's heart leapt at this admission. "You are remembering, Cloud, you are," he said happily. "Maybe it's not making sense to you right now…it's like a mosaic, right? And you're not connecting the pieces yet, to see the whole picture. But it's coming, Cloud, it's coming…I can feel it."

Nodding in agreement, Cloud smiled. "A mosaic. That's the perfect analogy, really," Cloud said. "Reno," he began, almost shyly, "I don't want to do anything impulsive, but…" his voice trailed off, as he blushed even more furiously.

"What is it, Cloud?" Reno prodded, smiling.

"I…I would like it very much if you would stay with me tonight. In my bed," stammered Cloud.

"Um, Cloud? Are you sure?" inquired Reno seriously.

"I don't mean…that we're going to….do anything," Cloud stumbled over his words. "Just…I want you to hold me. Hold me, Reno."

Reno felt as if something tore slightly inside him. _That would be my heart_, he thought happily. "Of course I will, Cloud," he whispered, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Cloud smiled at Reno, then took his hand, leading him down to the bedroom. They slid underneath the bedcovers, and Reno wrapped his arms around Cloud, spooning him. "You have no idea how happy this is making me, Cloud," Reno whispered into Cloud's ear. "Good night…I love you, Cloud. So, so much."

Cloud squeezed the lanky arms wrapped tightly around him, a smile on his face. He wasn't ready to say the words out loud, so hoped that Reno would understand what that gentle squeeze meant.

It meant: _I love you, too._

_

* * *

_

Up in the Forgotten City, someone stirred. It was a young man…he had been standing watch over an unmoving figure for several days now. The young man had been sleeping uncomfortably on the ground, keeping vigil, praying for a sign of life, of any movement.

_It's of no use_, he thought. _I did everything I could, my love….I am sorry I failed you…_

He was therefore shocked to then see eyelids fluttering on the figure laying on the ground. Rushing over to the figure, he crouched over the unmoving form, just in time to see emerald green eyes revealed.

A deep and guttural voice came from the as yet stationary figure.

"Genesis," the voice said. "I am reborn."

* * *

**YAY for spooning! And bonus points for anyone who can figure out why Reno's wasabi-in-the-eye might have triggered a memory for Cloud. **

**I hope I didn't overdo it with the angst and crap on both sides…Reno feeling guilty over being horny, for crying out loud, and Cloud feeling guilty for not remembering anything. But what would Cloud be without self-doubt and angst, right? Right. **

**A/N: Kimo's is actually the name of a really good restaurant in Maui. They not only serve sushi, but they also serve the best fish tacos I have EVER had in my life. **

**Uh oh….but who's in the Forgotten City? XD**


	13. Flash

****

Songs quoted within: "I Remember You" – Skid Row; "Lazy Eye" – Silversun Pickups

**Language, citrusy moments/yaoi ahead…and angst.**

**In this chapter, I take some liberties with the canon of Crisis Core, so I'm doing a bit of rewriting/reinterpreting history there. If, after reading, you're confused or have questions, please comment and I'll do my best to clear things up.**

**Usual disclaimers apply: Square Enix owns all except for songs quoted within, which are attributed to the artist. Songs are quoted to set the mood.**

* * *

Cloud was on top of Da-Chao mountain in Wutai, and toeing the edge of the precipice. Something – the wind, perhaps – threw him off balance. He started to fall…but he wasn't plummeting, he felt as if he were gliding on a breeze, soaring over the high mountains of Wutai.

**A dream,** his subconscious cautioned him**. Only a dream. You can't fly.**

_Yes I can. Oh yes I can…just watch me._

Reno was sleeping peacefully, for the first time in nearly 48 hours, and had a tiny smile on his face as he slumbered. He had his arms wrapped tightly around Cloud, still spooning him. Neither one had moved all night since they went to bed.

Reno's nose itched, as if something was tickling it, and he couldn't quite figure out why. Coming out of his sleep, Reno rubbed his nose furiously, and opened one eye. When he saw what was in front of him, his other eye popped open, and he bolted up in bed.

_Holy shit. Cloud's wings are…well, there they are. Damn. And he's sleeping through this? Gaia…_

Cloud was still deep in his dream, unfurling his wings both in his dream state, and in reality. Reno moved back quickly, avoiding being clocked by Cloud's wings as they swooshed backwards in a long arc. Cloud unconsciously brought his wings forward, and they brushed against the lamp that was on the bedside table, knocking it to the floor, breaking it. "Whoa!" yelped Reno, jumping out of bed to survey the damage, and to attempt to move any other items out of Cloud's wing path. Only now was Cloud starting to stir, and come out of his deep sleep.

"Wha..what's going on," Cloud mumbled, blinking. Opening his eyes wider, Cloud slowly came to realize what was happening to him. His wings, by now, were fully extracted; he looked at them dazedly, as he came to. "I was dreaming, Reno…" Cloud started, looking up at Reno, "dreaming that I was…flying. But it's not a dream, is it," he remarked, glancing sidelong at his left wing, which was blindingly white in one spot, right near the tip, where a sunbeam was hitting it through the bedroom window.

"Yeah," Reno said softly, staring at Cloud's wings. "It's no dream."

Cloud shifted uncomfortably under Reno's gaze. "Reno," he huffed. "Please stop staring. Don't you realize I feel like a freak enough already!" he snapped.

"But you're not, Cloud," Reno said, moving toward Cloud slowly and deliberately, never breaking eye contact with him. "You're still…you," he said, pulling Cloud toward him and embracing him. "_I shouldn't be doing this, it's…too soon_," Reno whispered, as he moved in closer and-

_-finally-_

-kissed him.

Cloud was rooted to the spot, unable to move—then, moaning, he leaned further into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Reno's waist. He could taste tobacco and cloves…and whiskey, on Reno, and it intoxicated him…he wanted more_. Gaia, do I want more…_

Quite independent of themselves, Cloud's wings followed the path of his arms, enveloping Reno in a tender embrace. The Turk flinched at first, caught by surprise upon feeling the feathers surround him, but then broke into a grin. "Wow, Cloud…just…wow," Reno whispered, breaking the kiss, looking around his head at the wings that now enfolded him.

"Sorry, Reno," Cloud muttered. "I still don't have complete control over them…sometimes they mimic the movement of my arms…"

"No," Reno interrupted him, "don't apologize. I…don't mind it at all," he said, reaching out his hand to stroke the feathers of Cloud's left wing. "And…I'm not going to say I'm sorry for kissing you just now, because I wanted to, but…was it too soon for you?" Reno questioned, worriedly.

"It wasn't," Cloud replied. "I…I do want you, Reno," he said, his voice trembling. "I'm remembering…bits and pieces about you…I still don't remember everything, though," Cloud cautioned.

"But," Cloud continued, boldly reaching out and stroking Reno's flaming hair, "I know who I am. Mostly," he grinned. I'm Cloud Strife, from Nibelheim. Maybe I never was in SOLDIER…but I should have been. And maybe I don't remember when you and I got together…who was the first one to say 'I love you'—

"It was you, Cloud," Reno whispered, his eyes glistening with tears. "You said it first."

"Well," Cloud grinned. "How about that?" Cloud then felt movement in his back, and craned his neck around to try and see what was happening. His wings were retracting once again.

"Oh, they're going away," Reno observed, a bit sadly, as he saw Cloud's wings shrinking and folding themselves back underneath his shoulder blades.

"You actually sound….disappointed about that, Reno," Cloud remarked, curiously.

"I kind of like them, Cloudy," Reno admitted, giving a lopsided grin. "I think they're sexy."

"Seriously?" Cloud said, cocking an eyebrow. "Well…whatever floats your boat, I guess," he chuckled. "Hey, I'm gonna lay down for a bit…still a little tired. Join me?" he invited Reno, gesturing to the space beside him in the bed.

"Yeah," agreed Reno. "It's cold out here, yo. You know, you always were a cheap bastard, keeping the thermostat so low…"

Cloud chuckled. "Nice, Reno. You know my memory…well, sucks…so you're not really winning me over with your character assassination of me."

"Hey, I'm just kidding!" Reno protested. "But it is really fucking cold in here," he said, shivering. "I'm getting back in, yo." Bounding over to the bed, Reno buried himself under the bedcovers. Cloud made his way over, and got in alongside Reno. They were facing each other, laying on their sides, just staring at each other. Reno reached out a hand, and caressed Cloud's face, tracing a finger along his eyebrow, down along his cheekbone. "You are so beautiful, yo," Reno whispered.

Cloud blushed, then said quietly, "Reno, I just want to stay in bed for a little while…maybe talk a bit?"

"Talk," parroted Reno. "Yeah, we can do that. But I really just wanna kiss you again, Cloud," he grinned.

"I think I'd like that," Cloud said shyly. "But, maybe later."

"Goddammit, yo," sniffed Reno, pretending to be hurt. "That's not fair."

"I'm sorry!" protested Cloud. "I just want to…talk. About us."

"Oh boy," sighed Reno. "This is starting to sound heavy and whatnot."

"No, it's nothing bad, I promise," insisted Cloud. "I just want to know…like, where we stand and stuff."

"Where we stand?" Reno replied, sounding surprised. "Yo, the ball's in your court, Cloud. I mean, not to pressure you or anything, but…I mean, I've just been hoping and praying you'd remember me. Like I told you earlier, I'm not leaving you."

_**Through the sleepless nights and every endless day  
I'd wanna hear you say - I remember you**_

"I remember…_some_ things now, Reno," Cloud said slowly. "After yesterday's session, some stuff started coming back to me. Like, I can remember now, that you gave me flying lessons in the chopper. And I remember that Cid showed me how to fly a plane," Cloud said, smiling at Reno.

"Oh yeah," remembered Reno, grinning. "You were wicked nervous when I brought you up in the chopper that first time, Cloud."

"I'm sure I was," agreed Cloud. "I don't remember that—but I do remember actually being in the chopper with you ," he smiled.

"Dude, I am so happy to hear this, you have no idea," Reno said happily, wrapping his arms around Cloud. He began nuzzling Cloud's neck, peppering it with feathery kisses, and pressing his lips to Cloud's. "Tell me if you want me to stop, Cloud, and I will," murmured Reno.

"No," whispered Cloud, moaning slightly, "don't stop, Reno." Cloud turned his head toward Reno's, and moved in to kiss him. "You…mean a lot to me Reno," Cloud murmured. "So much…"

_Say it, say it, why can't I just say it?_

_**I've been waiting  
**__**I've waiting for this moment  
**__**All of my life  
**__**But it's not quite right**_

"Mmm," whispered Reno. "You know you mean everything to me." He groaned as he felt Cloud pull him in closer, grinding himself against Reno's crotch. "Sorry," breathed Cloud, as he pulled Reno's ponytail, loosening the tie, and running his fingers through the unruly red hair. Reno moaned even louder as he felt Cloud's fingers ghosting the back of his neck. "Oh, Reno," Cloud whispered, gazing at the halo of red hair surrounding Reno. "How I love seeing you with your hair down…you take my breath away. Kiss me again," he insisted.

Reno happily obliged, pulling Cloud in for a fiery kiss. Gasping at the increasing friction he was feeling from Cloud grinding against him, Reno hissed, "Cloud…you keep doing that, and I'm gonna blow my load."

"Sorry," Cloud grinned. "But um…not really," he laughed.

"Don't be a shithead," Reno chuckled. "Seriously, yo…what do you want to do? Do you want to…" he left the sentence unfinished, not wanting to push Cloud too far too quickly.

"I want you, Reno, I do," Cloud said seriously, staring into Reno's aquamarine eyes. _I'm falling in love with you again, Reno…even though I haven't said it yet…_

_**You said I love you babe, without a sound  
**__**I said I'd give my life for just one kiss  
**__**I'd live for your smile and die for your kiss**_

"But I…I don't know if I can do that, right now," Cloud stated sadly. "I've had a rough time of it lately…"

"Well, if that isn't the understatement of the fucking year," Reno remarked dryly. "It's okay, Cloud…I understand, I do. The last thing I want to do is to push you…we'll take it slow."

"Thank you, Reno," Cloud replied, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. He laid his head on Reno's chest, not wanting to move.

Glancing over at the alarm clock, Reno groaned. "Oh shit, Cloud. The time! We've got to get you over to Tseng, yo."

Cloud sighed. "I guess that means we've got to get ready and get out of here," he said, reluctantly. "I really don't want to leave, though," Cloud admitted, smiling. "But…I'm hopeful that when Tseng puts me under again, I might be able to…fill in the blanks a little bit more."

"That'd be nice, yeah?" said Reno, brightening. "Come on…let's get our asses in gear. I'll get in the shower, and you can make me breakfast," he grinned.

"I told you, all I really know how to cook, is omelets and pancakes," laughed Cloud. "I have a feeling you'll get sick of it fast."

"I highly doubt that, yo," Reno replied, smiling at Cloud.

* * *

Tseng was in the office much earlier than usual, so he was surprised when his desk phone suddenly rang. _Outside call_, he thought, as he scanned the caller ID display. _Strange._

"Tseng," he said briefly into the receiver. He started when he heard the voice on the other end of the call. Clearing his throat, Tseng replied, "Vincent. It's good to hear from you. What can I do for you?"

"This is not a call I wanted to make," came Vincent's gravelly voice over the line. "And…you can do what you will with what I'm about to tell you, but I feel you should know what's going on."

Tseng's stomach suddenly dropped; somehow he knew that whatever Vincent had to to say, it would not be welcome news. "What is it, Vincent?" he inquired.

"It…could be nothing, in all honesty," admitted Vincent. "But if I didn't share this with you, and something came of it…I know I'd regret it. There is one condition, however."

_Here it comes_, thought Tseng, sighing. "What is it, Vincent?"

"You cannot share this information with Cloud or Reno," Vincent stated simply. "In fact…I think it would be best if you sent them both away somewhere…remote. For a while."

"All right," Tseng agreed. If it had been anyone other than Vincent dictating such conditions, Tseng would have either laughed, or hung up on them. But, this wasn't just anyone; this was Vincent…a former Turk, and Tseng was inclined to take Vincent's orders under serious consideration. "So…what is this about?" Tseng demanded. He felt a flush creeping up over his face; none of what Vincent was telling him thus far, which admittedly wasn't much, was sitting very well with him. There was something about Vincent's tone that led Tseng to feel that this wasn't any normal phone call.

"It is merely…an intuition if you will. I have sensed," Vincent continued, "that Sephiroth has not returned to the Lifestream. He is still within the realm of the Planet."

"How….is that possible?" Tseng asked, puzzled. "Surely we all saw…what Reno did to Sephiroth in the cave?"

"I know, Tseng," Vincent replied. "And Reno's attack…would have been enough to kill even Sephiroth, in my estimation. Under normal circumstances."

"Are you saying," Tseng cut in, "that these are not normal circumstances?"

"Tseng, I've been thinking about this nonstop, ever since I had the vision," Vincent replied. "And the only thing I can think of is…the goddess materia."

"The goddess materia?" Tseng said, shocked. "But…but the goddess materia, it doesn't even exist! It was the stuff of fairy tales…"

"But, Tseng….what if-what if it _did_ exist," Vincent suggested. "Myths and legends are often based upon some reinterpreted form of reality. Why not the goddess materia, then?"

"Okay," relented Tseng. "Let's just say…for the sake of argument, let's just say that your theory is sound. Sephiroth would have been in no condition to reanimate himself. I mean, he fucking _vaporized_ in front of all of us! How do you explain that, Vincent?" Tseng snapped.

"I can't explain it," admitted Vincent. "The only thing I can come up with is…that Sephiroth somehow had outside help, in getting the goddess materia to him, and helping him to reanimate."

"But….who?" asked Tseng, cluelessly.

"_Genesis_," hissed Vincent. "I am certain…that it was Genesis' presence I sensed. One thing does seem very clear to me, above all else; it seems that this…spirit energy I am sensing, is emanating from the Forgotten City. So it seems logical that this is where they are."

"Oh gods," groaned Tseng. "Vincent, I thank you for bringing this to my attention. Now, as I promised, I won't share this information with Reno or Cloud –but you do realize, I'll have to let Rufus know. As well as Rude and Elena."

"Of course," replied Vincent. "Whatever you feel you need to do, Tseng…my only condition was that you not tell Reno and Cloud. Cloud still needs…time to heal. I'm sure you agree?"

"I do indeed," replied Tseng. "And I think we're all aware – Reno's the best one, obviously, to help Cloud recover. If he can't do it, then nobody can."

"Good," Vincent stated briefly. "I am glad we see eye to eye on this. Yuffie, Nanaki and I will be heading to the Forgotten City later, to do some recon later; we'll coordinate with your group after you've filled everyone in."

"Very well, Vincent," said Tseng. "I'll be in touch."

Hanging up the receiver, Tseng sank back in his office chair, feeling ice forming in the pit of his stomach. _Dammit. This is not good….not good at all._

Picking up his phone again, Tseng punched in several digits. "Darla," he spoke to the voice on the other end, "put me through to President ShinRa."

* * *

Reno and Cloud finished their breakfast, and rushed out of the apartment, with Cloud nearly forgetting to lock the door. "I think I've had a bad enough week already…I don't need to be inviting people in to steal my shit," Cloud quipped, as he turned back to lock up the apartment.

"Yeah," Reno remarked dryly, leaning against the door frame as Cloud locked the door, "it's been a fairly shitty week, I'd say. Getting better though, I think, isn't it?" Reno smiled.

"I think it is. Had a pretty good morning so far, at least," Cloud grinned.

The pair exited Cloud's apartment building, and headed back toward ShinRa headquarters. Reno suddenly thought of something as they made their way down the streets of Edge. "Cloud, I meant to ask you before….uh, when your wings came out earlier this morning?" he began.

"Yeah?" replied Cloud. "What about them?"

"Well," Reno chuckled, "you slept through the whole damned thing! The first time it happened, I remember how…painful that was for you. And now it's like you can't even feel when they come out?"

"It doesn't hurt as much, that's true," admitted Cloud. "But, it's not like I didn't feel anything at all. I was…dreaming that I was flying, Reno. Stupid as that sounds," he laughed. "So maybe I thought…I really _was_ flying, and my wings popped out."

"As to why it didn't hurt as much this time," Cloud continued, "I'm not really sure. Maybe because I was poisoned with Mako so many years ago? It speeds up my healing," Cloud explained. "That's all I can think of."

"Yeah, I know what Mako poisoning does to a person," Reno remarked dryly. He knew quite a bit about what both Cloud and Zack Fair had been subjected to in Hojo's lab, during that insane scientist's quest to create the perfect SOLDIER. That information had been classified, and then sealed; but not before Tseng and the other Turks had reviewed the files. And, the knowledge of those experiments had stuck in Reno's head forever.

Reno was constantly torn between his loyalty toward ShinRa and the Turks, and realization of the fact that ShinRa perpetrated these crimes – because they really were crimes against humanity, no matter how Reno tried to color it – crimes perpetrated against people he cared about. Against _Cloud_. Reno never shared his conflicting feelings with anyone, save for Rude, who felt the same moral dilemma himself.

"Reno?" Cloud began hesitantly. He had seen the dark shadow pass over Reno's face, wiping the smile off of it, and wondered what was wrong. "You okay?"

Snapping out of his reverie, Reno smiled. "Fine. I'm…fine," he replied briefly. "Well, here we are," Reno commented suddenly, as they came within sight of headquarters. He inhaled sharply, as if steeling himself for what was about to come. _Even though this is all on Cloud…_Reno thought_. He's the one doing all the heavy lifting, so to speak…I'm feeling pretty fucking stressed over this, for some reason. _

"You ready, Cloud?" Reno asked seriously, wrapping an arm around Cloud. He suddenly seemed so small and fragile to Reno. _Yeah, the same guy who saved the entire fucking planet_, Reno mused wryly_. I know he can hold his own, but I can't help but feel…protective of him, after what Sephiroth did. _

"Yeah," Cloud replied, emotionlessly. "As ready as I'll ever be." The pair got on the elevator, and Reno inserted his keycard for the 69th floor, where access was strictly limited to higher level employees and executives. "I swear, Rufus wants this building to look just like the old one, it's practically a replica," Reno muttered. "And we told him, that ain't gonna work, public perception being what it is—" He paused, noting Cloud's confused expression. "Of course," Reno said, smiling at Cloud, "you have no fucking idea what I'm talking about, do you? I'm sorry, yo…I just keep talking, and talking, and don't stop…"

"I've noticed that," Cloud commented, casting a sly, smiling glance at Reno, as the Turk gave Cloud a sheepish grin. "Care to explain what you were yammering on about just now?"

"Yammering? Cloud, I'm hurt," Reno smirked. "Well, what I meant was…Rufus is basically rebuilding ShinRa – with this whole 'kinder, gentler' angle – and then he reconstructs headquarters to look pretty much similar to the original, if not downright identical. People's memories aren't that short…they're not going to forget that the entire world was nearly obliterated, and part of that was ShinRa's doing."

"I do remember some of ShinRa's skeletons…from way back," Cloud said, frowning. "But I don't recall what happened…more recently. So they nearly _destroyed_ the Planet? Reno…I hate to ask you this, but if that's the case…how in the hell can you still work for them?"

"I ask myself the same question every day, Cloud," Reno admitted. "And I have yet to come up with a good answer. I've done some things in the line of duty that I'm pretty ashamed of, I'll admit it. But you know…when Meteorfall happened, it wasn't all ShinRa's fault, yo. Sephiroth kind of took things and ran….and then, Meteorfall happened because of him."

"Meteorfall," Cloud whispered.

~_flash_~

"I remember….I remember something about that," Cloud muttered. "About Meteorfall…Gaia, I can't recall exactly what, though."

Suddenly Cloud thought of something else, and turned to Reno, with a questioning look on his face. "Hold on, Reno, you're blaming Sephiroth for Meteorfall? Sephiroth became what he became, _because_ of ShinRa, don't you realize that?"

The elevator door finally opened with a soft ding, and Reno, looking coldly at Cloud, exited first. He grabbed Cloud roughly by the shoulder, pulling him off of the lift. "Are you fucking kidding me, Cloud?" he said furiously. "You're seriously going to defend Sephiroth, after what he fucking _did_ to you? Are you mental?" Huffing angrily, he brushed Cloud away from him, turning his back on him. "I don't fucking believe this," he said to himself as he walked down the corridor away from Cloud.

"I'm not…defending him, Reno!" Cloud snapped, irate. Reno was really starting to piss him off, and he didn't like it one bit. "I'm just trying to piece everything together, and now you're being an asshole, and walking away from me the way you always do, you always fucking ran away from me when I was trying to fight you, Reno!"

_Oh gods, I remember, I remember!_

Reno spun on his heel and stopped in his tracks, facing Cloud. "What…what was that you just said, Cloud?" Reno asked in a low voice.

"I…uh…oh gods, Reno, I'm remembering something," laughed Cloud, tears starting to form. "I'm sorry that I snapped, but….shit, I hate fighting with you like this!"

Taking a few steps back toward Cloud, Reno embraced the smaller man, kissing the top of his head. "Oh, Cloud, I'm sorry too," he apologized breathlessly. "But hey…um….what was that about me running away? Care to elaborate on that? I won't get mad, I promise…I'm honestly curious," he inquired, studying Cloud, trying to read his face.

"I remember you clearly now, Reno, I do!" Cloud began excitedly. His face fell slightly as he added, "But…I don't remember anything….more recent. I don't remember anything about us being together."

"When we were arguing just now," Cloud continued, "I got this flash of a memory. Of you and I, fighting…and you kept running away. Saying that you still won the battle and were victorious, even though you were retreating….or something like that."

"Oh yeah, that," Reno chuckled, as they turned the corner, nearing Tseng's office. "Well, I remember that too, and it's a little embarrassing," Reno confessed. "There were a few times…where you and your group completely kicked my ass – and Rude's –and I gotta tell you, yo, that seriously stung my fucking pride. I mean, go figure…some rag-tag group of vigilantes, overcoming the Turks! That shit ain't supposed to happen!" he laughed.

"Rag-tag?" queried Cloud, smiling. "Obviously, my memory is spotty here, so you'll have to fill me in…what do you mean, rag-tag?"

"Well, let's just say we underestimated the Avalanche group –you in particular," Reno admitted. "So…when you guys got the best of us, I had to preserve my pride somehow…so, I came up with that…line," he smirked.

"Ha," Cloud chuckled. "That's kind of cute."

"Cute!" retorted Reno. "It was supposed to sound _menacing_."

* * *

Finally reaching Tseng's office, after navigating the labyrinthine corridors, Reno knocked on the door. "Here we go again," he muttered.

"Come in," came Tseng's voice from within.

Reno opened the door, and ushered Cloud inside. "Tseng," Reno said. "We're ready to rock and roll."

Standing up from his seated position behind his desk, Tseng walked over to the two men, frowning. "About time you two got here," he barked. Cloud eyed Reno curiously, wondering what to make of Tseng's pissy mood, but Reno merely shrugged his shoulders, indicating he had no idea why the Wutaian was so seemingly irritable at the moment.

"Okay then," Tseng continued, in a clipped tone. "Let's take our seats over here, and we'll begin." Cloud obediently walked over to the futon, and sat down upon it, staring down at his feet. He was trying to clear his mind as best as he could before beginning today's hypnotherapy session.

Reno sat down lazily on one of the office chairs, a troubled look on his face_. Something's off with Tseng_, he mused, _but I don't know what. I know this dude, and his demeanor is not the norm right now. _Indeed, Tseng was even quieter and even more short-tempered than usual, and this bothered Reno.

_I hope it's nothing_, thought Reno, _but I'm thinking it's not. _He leaned back in his chair, watching Tseng walk over and switch on the metronome, just as he did yesterday.

"Good morning, Cloud," Tseng droned, "I'm going to ask you to relax…we're going to go back in time, as we did yesterday…focus on the sound of my voice…"

Reno suddenly got a sick feeling in his stomach. There were a few things in Reno's own past, that he would prefer if Cloud forgot about them altogether.

* * *

Genesis had forgotten just how heavy and nearly immovable the general was. "Gods, you're like a slab of concrete," he grunted, lugging the again-unconscious figure over to an abandoned house. At least there was some hope of an actual bed within, unlike their accommodations for the past two nights. The first time the general had collapsed, Genesis was at least able to get him out of the Sleeping Forest, and transported him as far as the outer limits of the Forgotten City.

From there, they had stumbled a few feet at a time, their progress hampered by the general's weakened state. Finally, Genesis had given up, deciding to make camp in a cluster of trees, and watched as the general slept. When night drew near, the temperature plummeted. Foregoing his own comfort, Genesis removed his duster of red leather, and draped it over the general, almost lovingly.

"Anything for you, my love," Genesis whispered, as he shivered uncontrollably from the cold. _My discomfort means nothing_, thought Genesis. _I must do everything I can, to help him…._ The cold grew more biting, and Genesis finally had to curl up next to the general for warmth, lest he freeze to death. His fingers unconsciously twined around the general's long, silver hair; an old, familiar habit that Genesis fell back into without even realizing it. It wasn't long before Genesis fell asleep, a smile flickering across his face.

When morning broke, the two were entwined, as lovers might be; however, the general was still unresponsive. Groaning, Genesis decided to seek better shelter, even if he had to drag this man around on his back. Genesis was a tall man, of graceful stature; but, the general was even taller than he, which made carrying him around clumsy and awkward, at best.

Getting up from the ground, Genesis draped the as-yet unconscious man over his shoulder, wrapping his arms around the man's legs, and set off on his way. As he came near an abandoned cottage that appeared it would be of some use if only for sleeping accommodations, he felt the man stir.

"Genesis," came a groan. "Get me…inside. I need to lie down again."

"Yes," breathed Genesis, legs breaking into a fast canter. "We're almost there…I've got you…"

"Thank you, Genesis," the man murmured. "I…want to see your face…"

"Soon," breathed Genesis. "We're a few feet away now."

Upon reaching the cottage, Genesis gently placed the man down on the ground, cradling the head, which was still slightly wobbly. Piercing green eyes regarded Genesis, taking in his red hair, freshly shorn, and shining in the morning sunlight. _He is…as delectable as I remember_, thought the general, licking his lips lustfully. _Truly, how could I forget such beauty?_

"Genesis. You came for me," the general began simply, his hand reaching out to Genesis.

"There never was any question, Sephiroth," Genesis replied, kneeling next to him. "I would have traveled the Lifestream to find you, even if it took all the rest of my days."

"But, you didn't have to do that after all, did you," smirked Sephiroth, his hand caressing Genesis' cheek. "You found the answer…when nobody else could, not even Hollander, nor Hojo…the secret to reanimation."

"And perhaps eternal youth, although, let's not get ahead of ourselves," laughed Genesis. "Come, Seph, let's get you inside here. Do you think you can stand?"

"I think so," replied Sephiroth, gingerly stretching out a long, leather clad leg, testing it. "Give me your arm, Gen."

Genesis smiled at Sephiroth slipping so easily into using the familiar pet name. "Here," he replied, offering his arm. "Grab onto my arm, I'll pull you upwards. "

"Ngh," grunted Sephiroth, as he struggled to regain his footing, and pull himself up. _Nobody, save for Genesis, has ever seen me in this weak state_, mused Sephiroth. He was growing impatient that his body was not catching up with the reanimation process; it was still weak, far too weak to expose himself to anyone else at this point.

_Anyone else….such as Cloud and his damned Turk lover, perhaps_, Sephiroth thought, a wicked grin crossing his face. _Oh, how shall I have my revenge on those two…I wonder…_

Genesis helped Sephiroth through the door, and guided him over to a lumpy sofa, that seemed to be part of a makeshift living area. Clearly the people of this city – the now-extinct Cetra race - had lived simply, yet comfortably; the furniture was sturdy and well-constructed, but hardly ornate. Genesis did not care; he was simply glad to be out of the elements, and in an actual dwelling, where Sephiroth would regain his strength, and out of the sight of any enemies.

Studying Sephiroth, Genesis noted the unearthly grin that was still plastered on the silver-haired general's face. "What's amusing you so, Seph?" Genesis inquired, smiling himself.

"Oh, there is much I must tell you, Gen," chuckled Sephiroth. "I will need your help…once I have fully regained my strength, of course. I'll be launching a…campaign of sorts, aimed at two targets in particular."

"Of course I'll help you, my love," Genesis replied, not hesitating. "But…you can fill me in later, after you've rested some more."

"Genesis," Sephiroth protested, "I've slept enough. I want to tell you all of this, while it's still fresh in my mind—"

"No, Seph, I must insist," Genesis interrupted. "Please. I promise, I'll listen to everything you have to say, once you've gotten sufficient rest. Now, I'm going to go hunt, get us something to eat. Please stay here…I'm going to light a fire in there before I go," he nodded his head, indicating the cooking fireplace. There is still some water in my canteen, don't forget to hydrate yourself."

"Yes, dear," Sephiroth replied mockingly. "I'm sorry, Gen," he apologized suddenly, "you've done so much for me, truly…I will never be able to repay you…"

"I can think of several ways you can repay me….but later on," Genesis replied in a sultry voice.

"Indeed," grinned Sephiroth. "You may regret those words, Genesis…" he teased.

"Somehow, I doubt that," Genesis smiled, as he holstered his sword, and exited the small cottage. "I'll return shortly."

"I will be right here," promised Sephiroth, settling back on the couch, and adjusting the pillows behind his head. "I will be…making some plans," Sephiroth whispered to himself, grinning, as Genesis closed the cottage door behind him.

* * *

"Cloud, can you hear me?" Tseng asked, as he prepared to begin further questioning and hypnosis. Tseng himself was having trouble focusing, given the recent phone call from Vincent. He had already informed Rude, Elena, and Rufus ShinRa about the possibility of Sephiroth's reanimation; as Vincent had requested, Tseng had not shared this information with Cloud or Reno, nor did he ever plan to. Plans were already underway to evacuate both Cloud and Reno…without either one of them realizing they were being evacuated.

"Yes," Cloud replied, tonelessly. "I can hear you."

"Good. We're going to move ahead…I want you to think back, to the fire that killed your mother," began Tseng.

_Shit_, thought Reno. _Way to take the bull by the balls, there, Tsengy. _

"The fire," repeated Cloud. "Sephiroth. He went…crazy. Burned the town. Everyone in it. All my friends…the only family I had left in the world. I found my mother's charred corpse…" Cloud's voice caught slightly.

_Oh Cloud_, Reno thought sadly_. I never knew...you never told me you were the one who found her._

"If you need to stop at any point, Cloud, count to three for me," cautioned Tseng. He didn't want Cloud's mind to shatter yet again, if he uncovered too painful a memory.

"No…keep going," replied Cloud, emotionless now. "I found my mother's body in her kitchen, in the house I grew up in. She was baking a cake for me…she knew I was in town with ShinRa on business, and was expecting me for dinner that night."

Reno bit down on his knuckle to stifle a small sob. _Shit_, he thought, as his eyes teared up_. I don't know how much more of this I can hear…_

"I see," said Tseng softly. This was the first time he had heard this part of Cloud's history as well, and Tseng didn't know how much longer he could bear to go on with this line of questioning.

"Cloud, let's talk about your time with ShinRa. What was your role with them?"

"I was an infantryman," Cloud stated. "I tried to get into SOLDIER."

"Were you in SOLDIER?" Tseng asked plainly.

"No," replied Cloud. "I never made it into SOLDIER. I tried…but ultimately I failed."

"Okay, then," Tseng continued, casting an eye at the clock. He wanted to finish the session quickly, and get Reno and Cloud relocated before either one of them could protest. "Let's move on, and talk about your family. Do you have children, Cloud?"

"No," stated Cloud. "Denzel…Marlene…I'm close to them, but they are not my children. Tifa takes care of them."

"And who is Tifa?" inquired Tseng, knowing full well who she was, but still needing to ask the question.

"Tifa is my best friend," answered Cloud. "But I couldn't give her what she wanted."

"What couldn't you give her, Cloud?" asked Tseng.

"Marriage. My heart," Cloud mumbled. Reno's own heart started beating uncontrollably in his chest upon hearing this. Would Cloud finally remember him after all?

"I couldn't give her my heart, when it belonged to someone else," Cloud stated flatly.

"To whom did it belong, Cloud?" Tseng asked softly.

"Hmm. Can't remember," said Cloud briefly. Reno's heart sank back down to the pit of his stomach. _Gaia, I was so hoping…_

"One more item to go over, and we will be done soon," Tseng said quietly, glancing at Reno. "Cloud, tell me more about Sephiroth."

"I defeated him," Cloud stated tonelessly. "At the Mount Nibel reactor, I wounded him…then again, I wounded him again, after Meteorfall. And now he's back again."

"Is that so?" Tseng replied, wanting neither to confirm nor deny anything Cloud was saying; this was a journey Cloud would have to navigate mostly on his own.

Tseng glanced up at the clock again, noting the time. "Cloud, we're going to be ending our session shortly to attend to other matters. Just as we did the other day, I'm going to count backwards, starting at ten…when I reach zero, you will open your eyes and come to. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Cloud replied, somewhat drowsily. Tseng then began his backwards countdown. Reno shifted excitedly in his chair. He was thrilled to have witnessed Cloud uncover more of his past; but still heartbroken that Cloud had zero recollection of him romantically, other than the fact that they used to be enemies.

"….And one," Tseng murmured, concluding the countdown. "Cloud?"

"Yeah," replied Cloud, sitting up on the futon. "I'm here. Gods, that was tiring," he moaned, holding his head in his hands. Reno sidled over to Cloud, and sat down next to him on the futon.

Cloud didn't move, or even acknowledge Reno; he was still holding his head in his hands, and seemed exhausted.

"Cloud," Reno began hesitantly. "You okay?"

Shaking his head negatively, Cloud replied, "No. No, I'm not okay. I basically just relived finding my mother's body. I'm not okay at all." He sighed, and turned his head to look at Reno. "I'm just…feeling really raw right now."

"Yeah, I get that," Reno said softly, gazing uncomfortably at his shoes_. Don't even know what to say._

"Okay, guys," interrupted Tseng. "Some more items to go over, and we have to do it quickly."

Reno raised an eyebrow at Tseng, wondering just why he was trying to hurry things along. "What's the rush, yo?" he asked.

"You'll find out shortly," snapped Tseng. "Now, Cloud," Tseng began, taking a kinder tone, "the lab's come back with some preliminary results. I'd like to go over this with you, but if you're still feeling…shaken…we can put it off, if you'd like."

Cloud shook his head. "No. Just lay it on me, Tseng," Cloud murmured. "It can't get much worse than that…I hope."

"Well," Tseng said, opening the folder he had in his lap, "basically what you have is an another, more advanced form of Mako poisoning; far beyond what you experienced at the hands of Hojo. But it's not just Mako that you were…infused with," Tseng paused, shuffling through his reports.

"Infused? How?" questioned Cloud.

"Sephiroth," replied Tseng, grimacing. "When Sephiroth…attacked you, it was the equivalent of an internal Mako shower. And, as far as we've been able to determine, Sephiroth no longer has any bodily fluids…human bodily fluids, that is…left in his body. He did at one time, but now, his chemical makeup is primarily Mako, Jenova cells, and water, along with trace chemical elements."

"Oh…Sephiroth," muttered Cloud, shuddering at the memory of the rape, which flashed across his mind. Reno set his jaw angrily, as he realized what Tseng was referring to, and exactly how Cloud was 'infused' with Mako. "So what exactly does this mean for me, Tseng?" Cloud asked the man wearily.

"Your development…along with your newly sprouted wings…seems to be consistent with the characteristics of one Genesis Rhapsodos, former SOLDIER," Tseng concluded. Reno's head shot up at the mention of the name.

"Do you remember that name, Cloud?" Tseng asked.

"I…think so, yes," Cloud said slowly, his eyes downcast. "He was friends with Angeal…and Zack."

"The very same," agreed Tseng.

"Wait, Tseng – didn't Genesis degrade? Will that happen to me?" asked Cloud fearfully. He glanced nervously at Reno, who moved to sit even closer to Cloud, waiting for Tseng's reply.

"No, we don't believe you will degrade, Cloud," Tseng replied, "Genesis did degrade at one point…but it was rumored that he was able to reverse, or even halt the degradation. We are not sure of what transpired, as he's been MIA for many years now. But, there's no reason to believe you will degrade as Genesis did, Cloud. For some reason….your body is able to withstand and harbor S-cells without rejecting them; in fact, your own cells have fused with Sephiroth's, creating a…hybrid cell."

"What?" Cloud stammered. "I—I don't understand this, Tseng. Sephiroth's…cells and my cells have fused….so what does that make me?" He flushed crimson with rage, thinking about the possible implication of what Tseng was telling him.

_That makes me a monster. Just like Sephiroth, _Cloud thought furiously_._

For once in his life, Reno sat there, speechless. _Gods_, he thought_. I don't even know what to make of this._

"It makes you genetically altered, Cloud," Tseng explained. "But, look at it this way, if it will help; you were already genetically altered after being showered with Mako."

"Oh, but now it's just worse, no thanks to Sephiroth, right?" Cloud snapped sarcastically. "That's just fucking great." He flung himself angrily back onto the futon, looking helplessly at Reno. "What do I do now?" Cloud asked him.

"Tseng," Reno said hoarsely. "Can you…elaborate a bit more? So Cloud is like Genesis, or what?"

"A bit, but not exactly," replied Tseng. "Although, Cloud's genetic makeup is unlike either Sephiroth's, or that of Genesis. He has traits of both, but his own human cells remain intact. They have merely fused with Sephiroth's cells, to create this hybrid cell – which, is why you had dual wings erupt. Cloud, your own human cells have…unique properties, which, when combined with S-cells, transformed you, and gave you your wings." Tseng was starting to feel he had laid enough at Cloud's feet today; there was more to tell him, so much more, but Tseng was inclined to save that information for another day.

"The hybridization of your cells, is what caused that severe pain you were having," Tseng added. "It seems to be under control now, yes?" he asked Cloud.

"Yeah," Cloud muttered. "I don't have that…burning feeling anymore. Is it gone for good?"

"If our data is correct, and I am certain it is," Tseng replied, "then yes, I believe it is. You should not be experiencing that level of pain again. If you do, however, please let me know immediately."

"I will," Cloud replied solemnly. "Well…I guess that's my good news for the day," he remarked. "No more pain."

"Sorry to cut this short, but we have to get going," Tseng cautioned, "as Rufus is waiting for all of us. There are more details I'd like to go over with you at a later date," Tseng concluded dismissively_. Details you are not going to like, Cloud_, he thought grimly.

"Wait, what the hell we gotta see Rufus for?" Reno complained. "I don't like this yo, it feels like you're rushing us out of here, and I want to know why," he demanded.

Tseng sighed. "It's nothing like that at all, Reno," he lied. "You know how Rufus is. He's got a full agenda for the afternoon, and he wanted to see you and Cloud before he's tied up in meetings…"

"Yeah, but _why_ does he want to see us, Tseng?" Reno questioned suspiciously. Sure, he worked for Rufus ShinRa, but that didn't mean Reno trusted the man one hundred percent, either. Rufus was always up to something.

"Look," said Tseng, finally cracking a bit of a smile. "I can't say anything right now, but trust me when I say it's nothing bad. If everyone's all set, let's head up to the President's office now." Tseng turned and headed toward the door, motioning Cloud and Reno to follow him. "Hit the lights on your way out, please," Tseng reminded them.

"No idea what this is about, Cloud," muttered Reno. "I'm not getting a good vibe, yo." Putting an arm around Cloud, Reno ushered him toward the door. "You okay, there?" he asked Cloud, still concerned. "I'm starting to worry about you."

"I'll be okay, Reno," Cloud replied, smiling weakly up at Reno. "I just need to rest, or something. That took a lot out of me this morning. I don't even know what to think about what Tseng just told me…" he sighed.

"I'll bet," said Reno sympathetically. "Well, let's see whatever the fuck it is Rufus wants. Then we can go get something to eat."

"And you say I'm always thinking about food?" Cloud teased. "You're a fine one to talk."

"Well, it's almost noon, yo, I'm hungry!" protested Reno, laughing. They continued to follow Tseng toward the elevators, both wondering just what Rufus ShinRa had up his sleeve this time.

* * *

"**We may be retreating…but we're still victorious." Ah, my favorite Reno line. XD**

**A/N: Oh, and sorry about the citrusy tease! As much as I wanted to write a full lemon in this chapter, I just didn't think it'd be all that realistic for an amnesiac Cloud, who had just been raped, to be sleeping with Reno _too _quickly. I'm pretty certain there'll be a lemon in the NEXT chapter, which is already well underway, so stay tuned!**


	14. Love, Lust and Hate

**Songs quoted within: "Hysteria" – Muse; "Something I Can Never Have" and "Closer" – both by Nine Inch Nails. **

**Warnings for this chapter…Language (**_**always**_**, heh), lemons – yes, more than one! I love multiples! :) Probably the LONGEST lemons I've written yet, but hopefully y'all like them. **

**Usual disclaimers apply, Square Enix owns all, yadda yadda. **

**Pleaes read and review, and enjoy!**

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* * *

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Rufus ShinRa paced back and forth in his penthouse office, impatiently awaiting the arrival of Tseng, Cloud, and Reno. Just hours before, Tseng had relayed to him some intelligence from Vincent, indicating that Sephiroth was still around. Rufus actually agreed with Vincent's 'conditions' to sequester both Cloud and Reno someplace safe. If Sephiroth was still an issue, it wouldn't do to have a vengeful Reno, -and a semi-amnesiac Cloud around to complicate things.

_Besides_, thought Rufus, _we must allow Cloud some time to heal, both physically and mentally. Down the road we may need to use him as….bait. _He frowned at the thought, but it was not something Rufus would be losing sleep over. It was regrettable that he might have to use Cloud in that fashion eventually, but he figured it was the price to pay when dealing with the likes of Sephiroth.

Rude and Elena were already in Rufus' office, and helping themselves to coffee. They had been debriefed, and instructed as to where they'd be transporting Reno and Cloud. Neither one of them liked keeping things from their fellow Turk, but orders were orders. Rude, in particular, knew that Reno would probably never forgive him for keeping the fact that Sephiroth might still be around, a secret from Reno.

Shortly thereafter, Tseng entered Rufus's office, flanked by both Cloud and Reno. "President ShinRa, sorry for the delay," Tseng apologized, taking a seat near Rufus's desk.

Rufus waved his hand dismissively. "No matter," he remarked. "Cloud, Reno, have a seat, please. I know you're wondering what this is about, so I'll make this brief." Rufus smiled, which, for some reason, creeped Cloud out_. I just don't trust him_, thought Cloud_. Don't know why, but I don't._

"So," Rufus began. "You've been through a great ordeal, Cloud, and I was sorry to hear about it. Reno, you've been through quite a bit as well, and I've decided something needs to be done about that. I'm sending you on vacation, both of you – to my private villa in Costa del Sol."

Both Cloud and Reno raised their eyebrows and glanced at each other curiously. Reno then turned to Rufus and said, "That's….very generous, but why, sir? Why now?" Reno's suspicious nature was getting the better of him; he couldn't help but feel something was up. _Rufus must want Cloud and me out of the way_, he reasoned, _but….why?_

"I thought that both of you could benefit from a…change of scenery, given everything that's transpired lately. Now," Rufus warned, holding his palm up, "I won't take no for an answer! Rude and Elena are standing by to transport you there by helicopter."

_Rude knows something_, Reno thought, glaring at his partner. _Damn those sunglasses of his, I never can see what he's thinking…_

Opening his desk drawer, Rufus removed a key card. "Here you go," he said as he handed the key card over the desk to Reno. "This will get you into my villa," Rufus said, as he grabbed his cell phone off of his desk. "Now, my staff is on site already, preparing the place for you; I have a butler, maid and a chef out there, anything you need, they will take care of for you, all right?"

Reno grinned. Even though he was still highly suspicious of Rufus's intentions, he wasn't about to turn down a free vacation. "It sounds nice, Rufus," Cloud commented, smiling. "Thank you. I don't think I've ever had a real vacation, you know."

"Well, I hope you both enjoy yourselves. And Reno – we don't expect to see you back at work for three weeks, so make sure you both pack plenty of clothing."

"Wait, three weeks? That's nearly a MONTH!" sputtered Reno. "That seems excessive, yo. What's really going on here?" Elena colored slightly at this, and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. _I knew it_, thought Reno, observing Elena's fidgeting_. They know something!_

"Whatever do you mean, Reno?" Rufus inquired sweetly. "Nothing is going on, I assure you. I merely want to offer my hospitality to you, as it seems you both certainly could use some relaxation. "

"Yeah, well ain't that the truth," muttered Reno, pocketing the key card. "Well…thank you, sir. I guess I'll see you all in three weeks, then," he remarked to his fellow Turks. _Nearly a whole month of vacation_….Reno mused. _This is highly suspicious, but…can't look a gift horse in the mouth._

Cloud had his own suspicions over the motivation behind Rufus's sudden display of generosity. He and Reno left Rufus's office with some hasty good-byes, both eager to get back to their respective apartments and start their packing. Reno was uncharacteristically nervous about being alone with Cloud; even though some great progress had been made to restore his memories, via hypnotherapy, he still wasn't one hundred percent, and that made Reno feel uneasy.

As for Cloud, he was looking forward to time alone with Reno, in order to get to know him again. He remembered quite a bit more about the redheaded Turk than he had previously; he hoped that spending more time with Reno, one on one, might help him fill in the rest_. If not_, Cloud reasoned, _maybe we'll just make new memories_. He smiled at the thought, trying to block out the other worry at the edge of his mind; the fact that he was no longer completely human, but some sort of human-Sephiroth hybrid. At least, that's what Cloud interpreted from Tseng's rather vague and hasty diagnosis.

They first went to Cloud's apartment to quickly pack a bag, along with checking on Cloud's motorcycle, which Cid had deposited there the day before, as Cloud had left it parked at the airport. "How long has it been since I've ridden, Reno?" Cloud asked him, as he got on the bike, straddling it. It felt familiar and comfortable to Cloud, which put him more at ease.

"It's been quite a few days. You sure you okay to drive it?" Reno inquired, as he got on behind Cloud.

"I'm fine," Cloud said confidently, as he turned the key in the ignition. "I feel that I know what I'm doing, and we're only driving to your apartment, anyway. Hold on tight, Reno," Cloud said as he lowered his goggles, smiling back at him. Cloud took off with a slight lurch, but quickly adjusted the throttle, shifting smoothly through the gears. _I've got this now_, Cloud thought, as he increased his speed. _No problem._

They sped off toward Reno's apartment next, and Reno nearly asked Cloud to wait outside for him. He hadn't been at his apartment in so many days, and he knew it'd be a disaster. Unlocking the door, Reno glanced back at Cloud sheepishly, and warned him, "Um…it might be a bit messy. Watch your step, yo."

Opening the door, Reno was greeted by a wall of stench. "Oh Gaia," he groaned. "I forgot to take out the garbage! Oh shit!" Cloud wrinkled his nose, surveying the somewhat cluttered surroundings. "Well," Cloud observed, "it's not as bad as you made it out to be, Reno. It just….smells really bad," he chuckled.

"Nice, Strife," Reno retorted. "I'm just going to throw some stuff in a bag. Be right out." Reno dashed into his bedroom, grabbing a duffel bag from his closet, and threw any item of clothing that looked remotely clean, into the bag. "Toothbrush, and that's it," Reno muttered, as he hurriedly grabbed the item from his bathroom sink.

Not five minutes later, Reno re-emerged into the living room, where Cloud was still standing, going through Reno's CD collection. "Yo," Reno called to Cloud, "I'm all set."

Cloud glanced over at Reno, and looked at his bag. "You have enough clothes for three weeks in there?" he inquired, disbelieving.

"Probably not," Reno laughed. "Dude, we're going to have a maid. _She_ can do my fucking laundry, yo."

"Oh," Cloud grinned. "I forgot about that. Well…I guess we're ready to go then." He turned toward Reno, and looked at him seriously. "Reno," he began, "I've been thinking…well, I'm not exactly the same person anymore, am I? I mean, I'm still…processing everything, myself."

"What are you getting at, Cloud?" Reno interrupted him, somewhat puzzled.

"I just wondered," Cloud continued, "since I'm…well, different now, do you still want to be with me?"

Reno's face fell; he couldn't believe Cloud felt he had to ask that question. "Cloud, of course I want to be with you," he assured him, wrapping his arms around him. "Always. Don't ever doubt that, okay?"

"Okay," replied Cloud, exhaling. "I just…have a lot on my mind now…obviously. Maybe we can…talk more, when we have the time."

"Well, we've got three weeks together now, apparently. We've got all the time in the world now, it seems," Reno said, grinning at Cloud. "Let's hit the road, yo, and get back to the 'copter. If I _have_ to take a vacation, the sooner I get there, the better."

* * *

Sephiroth was growing impatient, awaiting Genesis's return. He had no doubt that the man would return soon, with some freshly killed meat. The general was also uncharacteristically ravenous, after having spent so long in a semi-comatose state, in his Mako cocoon. Having rested for some time, while Genesis was out hunting, Sephiroth was feeling renewed and rejuvenated.

He had yet to tell Genesis what had transpired in the cave, his rape of Cloud. Perhaps he could avoid telling Genesis altogether, he thought guiltily. _No_, mused Sephiroth. _Genesis is much too perceptive…he'll know something is amiss. Besides, I will need Gen's assistance still, if I want to exact revenge on Cloud._

A cruel smile crept across Sephiroth's face. Genesis would have to understand; after all, it was he that Sephiroth loved, not Cloud. Cloud was a puppet; Sephiroth wanted to crush Cloud, to own and destroy him, a sick sort of passion in itself. He was obsessed with the man, beyond all reason – this obsession was something that Sephiroth himself could not explain, but it was driving him over the edge, much as learning the true nature of his birth had driven him mad, so many years ago.

_**Everywhere I look you're all I see  
**__**Just a fading fucking reminder of who I used to be**_

What was at the center of this obsession he harbored? Sephiroth wasn't exactly sure. _Certainly not love_, he pondered. _Perhaps lust…and _c_ontrol…I want to control him, and make him feel my anger. _He had similar feelings for Genesis, but they weren't laced with hate, as with Cloud. There was no question of Genesis's feelings for Sephiroth; clearly he loved the man, was in love with him, and practically worshipped the ground that the silver-haired general walked upon.

Sephiroth heard a twig snap outside, and instantly went into a defensive stance, crouching next to the window, peering out. _Only Genesis returning_, he thought with relief. Sensing no other danger, he got up from his crouched position, and flung open the cottage door to greet him. The general smiled as he saw Genesis dragging the day's kill behind him – two Chocobos, and a chimera. Sephiroth began salivating as he smelled the blood of the freshly killed animals.

Genesis suddenly noticed Sephiroth standing there awaiting him, and cast a cheeky grin at him. The corners of Sephiroth's mouth twitched, threatening to result in a smile. "Gen," he said huskily as he greeted the man, "you're…back." There was an undefined tension in the air between the two; it hung there, heavy and tangible, as if it were a patch of fog.

"Yes," Genesis said slowly, lowering the animal carcasses to the ground. "Here I am, with dinner for us," he smiled. Not breaking eye contact with Sephiroth, he moved toward him, slowly and methodically. _Perhaps we should feed other hungers first,_ Genesis mused, a sultry smile crossing his face.

_Gods, he is simply beautiful_, Sephiroth thought, as he noticed the seductive smile on Genesis's face, trying to read his thoughts. Sephiroth was pretty certain Genesis had the same carnal thoughts going through his mind that he had. The scent of the felled animals made Sephiroth's nostrils twitch, and stirred something primal within him. "Genesis," he hissed, "Don't move." Cat-like, Sephiroth moved faster than Genesis could even process, and tackled him to the ground, kissing him, one hand raking through his ruddy hair, the other hand traveling downward, rudely snaking into the front of his pants. "Seph," Genesis gasped, as he broke from the violent kiss. "Can we—"

"Don't ask me to stop, Gen," growled Sephiroth, interrupting. "You want this too, do you not?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. Had he misread Genesis's seductive grin, and bedroom eyes?

"Gods, yes," moaned Genesis, leaning into Sephiroth's grip, completely forgetting about the pangs of hunger that his stomach had been noisily reminding him of just moments before. He framed Sephiroth's face with his hands, still stained with blood from the kill. Sephiroth's nostrils flared, picking up the scent. He impulsively grabbed Genesis's right hand, and licked the animal's blood from it, slowly and seductively. Genesis groaned, feeling a heat emanating from his groin; a sensation he had not felt in far too long. Sephiroth's tongue worked slowly on Genesis's hand, his mouth taking in each finger individually, sucking on each, then releasing each in a torturously slow fashion.

"Seph," he begged. "Please…"

"Please what, Gen?" Sephiroth purred softly, wrapping his hand around Genesis's cock and fisting it rapidly. He loved nothing better than making Genesis throw his head back in ecstasy, and completely lose himself. _So sensitive he is_, thought Sephiroth. "I love when you beg," he taunted. "Now, are you begging me to stop, or…?" He left the sentence unfinished, teasing Genesis mercilessly.

"Please…don't stop…" Genesis pleaded, as Sephiroth reluctantly withdrew his hand, so that he could fling Genesis over his shoulder, carrying him over to what appeared to be a tiny bedroom. Kicking the door open with a long, leather- encased leg, Sephiroth laid Genesis down on the utilitarian looking bed, and pounced upon him, like an animal suddenly presented with a piece of raw meat. Genesis shrugged off his duster of red leather, and grabbed Sephiroth by the hair, pulling him down on top of him. Sephiroth groaned gutturally, running his hands up and down Genesis's torso, making the man writhe with each movement. "Pants. Off," Sephiroth barked a command at Genesis, who hurriedly unbuckled his leather pants, sliding them off quickly and easily, throwing them to the side.

Smiling wickedly at Genesis, now fully naked except for his footwear, Sephiroth whispered, "Leave the boots on, Gen. Better traction that way," he chuckled.

Genesis grinned, and pulled himself up to Sephiroth again, their mouths meeting in a crushing kiss. "Seph," Genesis breathed, "I dreamed about you…about this…every moment you were away from me. Gods, I'm so glad you're back…how I missed you." He reached up and stroked the general's silky silver hair lovingly.

"And I missed you," murmured Sephiroth, shrugging off his long leather coat, that was practically smothering him. Sephiroth's normal body temperature was a somewhat cool eighty degrees, owing to the relatively miniscule amount of human cells left in his body. Being near Genesis again, was like being near an open flame, and Sephiroth couldn't get enough of his warmth. He hungrily devoured Genesis's neck, biting cruelly and drawing blood, his tongue leaving a smeared trail of red in its wake. Genesis didn't protest; he wanted more. It was a cat-and-mouse game between the two; always at the start, Sephiroth would lead the attack, while Genesis yielded; yet, Genesis could certainly dish it out as well as he could take it. He was biding his time, waiting for the right moment to go on the offensive.

Genesis found that opening, when Sephiroth slowed his pace, ever so slightly, ceasing his attack on Genesis's neck, and shifting slightly onto one elbow; Genesis slid his hands down Sephiroth's torso, freeing him from his leather pants, which were slicked with sweat. He deftly slid them off, then fisted Sephiroth's growing erection. Grunting from the effort, he quickly turned Sephiroth on his side, who was putting up little fight at this point. Lowering his mouth down to Sephiroth's cock, Genesis gently breathed on it, letting Sephiroth feel his steamy breath tease his most sensitive spot. "Gen, damn you," complained Sephiroth, groaning and laying on his back, finally relenting and submitting to Genesis's ministrations.

Smiling up at Sephiroth, almost triumphantly, Genesis descended once again onto his target, deep-throating Sephiroth's cock slowly and meticulously. His licks and nips were driving Sephiroth over the edge, much more quickly than he wanted. "Genesis," Sephiroth hissed, "I need to—"

"What, Seph?" Genesis giggled mockingly. "Are you begging me to stop?"

"Smartass," retorted Sephiroth. He gazed at Genesis, his cat-like pupils narrowing, then dilating, as he plotted his next move. Everything in life, whether it was a battle, or sex, was strategized by Sephiroth, with the keenness of a well-trained military mind. Oh, Genesis was a superb military strategist himself– the general had no doubt about that_. However, he is no match for me_, Sephiroth thought with a cocky grin.

Sephiroth moved more quickly than humanly possible – perfectly reasonable for one whose physical humanity was fading away with each day – and pinned Genesis on his back, before he could even discern what had happened.

"Hah," Sephiroth barked victoriously. "I've got you where I want you now, Gen."

"Oh?" Genesis replied coyly, panting slightly. "And where is that?"

Arching a silver eyebrow, Sephiroth gazed bemusedly upon his lover. "Underneath me, you simpleton," he chuckled.

"No," Genesis argued. "THIS is where you want me." Without warning, he flipped Sephiroth over, and impaled himself on the general's cock, uttering a pained cry as he did so, which soon dissolved into a moan of pleasure. Genesis slowed his pace, moving himself up and down the entire length of the shaft, while Sephiroth bucked his hips upward to meet Genesis's downward motion. "Well played, Gen," groaned Sephiroth breathlessly_. The impertinent bastard…he bested me_, Sephiroth thought with wry amusement_. Touché, Genesis….touché. _

Sephiroth threw his head back baring his teeth, and the expression - coupled with his cat-like pupils narrowing as he approached his climax, made Sephiroth look even more feral and animalistic than ever. Genesis was never more turned on in his life, than when he saw the general in this state of ecstasy.

_**I want to fuck you like an animal  
**__**I want to feel you from the inside  
**__**I want to fuck you like an animal  
**__**My whole existence is flawed  
**__**You get me closer to god**_

"Seph," Genesis groaned as he fisted his own cock, a pleading note in his voice.

"I know," growled Sephiroth. He flipped Genesis onto his back once again, and grabbed onto Genesis's member as well, their fingers entwining as they stroked the shaft simultaneously, while Sephiroth continued to slam into Genesis's taut opening. They came as one, instantaneously, and Sephiroth arched his back as he rode the wave of his orgasm, finally collapsing on top of Genesis once he was spent.

They lay there for a few moments, unable, or unwilling, to speak or move. Finally, Genesis, sighing contentedly, spoke.

"So….shall we eat now?" Genesis asked sweetly, grinning cheekily.

* * *

It was nearing one o'clock when Rude and Elena deposited Cloud, Reno – and Fenrir - on the helipad at Costa del Sol. At Cloud's insistence, Rude had piloted a cargo helicopter so that he could bring his motorcycle with him. Reno just grinned and let Cloud have his way about this; it was good to see him excited about something again "So, um…how do I get to Rufus's place?" Cloud asked as he tied his bag to the back of his motorcycle.

"Hmm," Reno replied evasively, "Why don't I drive us there, do you mind?" Reno had a bit of a detour in mind first, and he hoped Cloud wouldn't mind.

Shrugging his shoulders, Cloud replied, "Sure, if you want to. I guess I can trust you with my bike ," he grinned.

"Damn straight," Reno chuckled. The lanky redhead got on the motorcycle, straddling it, and Cloud sat himself right behind Reno. Glancing back at Cloud, Reno smirked and said, "Ha, this time you're the one riding bitch."

~_flash_~

"Um…nice, Reno," Cloud muttered, giving a half-smile. _What was that just now?_ Cloud wondered. _Déjà vu?_

Reno pulled his goggles down, and started up the motorcycle. He had no intention of heading to Rufus's summer home just yet; there was one place in Costa del Sol that he loved above anything else, and it seemed like the perfect place to take Cloud. _It feels like we're on a honeymoon or something_, Reno thought, smiling, as he sped into the foothills beyond the resort area.

Cloud noticed immediately that they were moving in the opposite direction of the beach. _Reno has to be up to something_, he thought, grinning in spite of himself_. I wonder where we're going. _He leaned against Reno's back, loving how his arms felt as they tightened around Reno's waist. _He's mine_, Cloud thought happily, _and he promised me he wouldn't leave me. I hope this is the beginning of better days ahead for us._

Squinting into the sunlight, Reno was trying to get his bearings, as he took the bike onto a dirt road, into a wooded area near one of the foothills. At the sound of falling water, Reno smiled; he knew he had found the place he had remembered, from so many years ago. Slowing the bike down, he brought it to a stop, and parked near a fern-covered palm tree off the shoulder of the road.

Reno dismounted from the bike, grinning widely at Cloud, who was gazing around him in wonderment. "Where…are we?" Cloud asked, taking in the view. "This isn't Rufus's house, obviously," he smiled.

"No, it's not," laughed Reno. "This is one of my favorite places on the planet, and I wanted to bring you here, Cloud. It's a fern grotto. Nice, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Cloud said breathlessly, as he got off the back of the bike. "I'll say. It's…beautiful here." Turning to Reno, he asked, "How did you ever find this place? It's kind of…out of the way."

Reno impulsively grabbed Cloud's hand, and tucked it into his own. "Walk with me for a bit?" he asked him. Cloud nodded silently. "There's a place over here where I used to come, just to sit and think…when I wanted to get away from the world. Right over here," Reno pointed, to a small, fern –covered grotto that was adjacent to a lagoon, that had a small waterfall trickling over the side.

"Wow," remarked Cloud appreciatively, as he surveyed the tropical landscape. "I can see why you like it so much, Reno…it's very peaceful here."

Nodding, Reno clambered over some boulders, pulling Cloud behind him. "We can sit over here for a little bit," Reno murmured, indicating an area with a large, flat rock. _Reminds me of that big rock on Cosmo Canyon_, Cloud mused.

Reno sat himself down on the rock, his back resting against the cave wall, Cloud sat down right next to him. "So," Reno began, resting his chin on his knees, and gazing at Cloud, "you're probably wondering why I brought you here."

"Yeah," replied Cloud. "I'm a bit curious about that, actually."

"I found this place during one of my first assignments as a Turk," Reno recollected. "You've got to realize – I'm a kid from the slums. I grew up under the plate, never really saw true daylight until I got this job. I never knew places like this one existed, it didn't even exist in my dreams…"

"Anyway," he continued, "Rude and I had just been partnered as Turks, and we were tailing some group that was illegally drilling for Mako. We followed them as far as the beach, shots were fired, they turned tail and ran into these hills. Rude and I split up, I took a wrong turn, and ended up here. For a few minutes, Cloud – I forgot where I was. I really did."

Reno continued, "And that could have spelled bad news for Rude, but thankfully I snapped out of it. But I always kept this place in the back of my mind, and as soon as I got some time off – I came up here, just camped out by myself, and chilled." He looked up at the fern-covered walls of the grotto, and inhaled the sweet, clean air. "I love it here."

"It's really breathtaking here," Cloud remarked, leaning into Reno's side, and laying his head on his shoulder. Reno wrapped his arm around Cloud, pulling him in even closer. "I've always wanted to bring you here, Cloud," Reno said, cupping Cloud's chin toward his, and kissing him gently. "I love you, Cloud," Reno said quietly. "So, so much."

Cloud pulled Reno back toward him in a tight hug, and grazed his lips against his. "I love you too, Reno," he whispered. "I'm so sorry I haven't been able to say it until now…I'm still kind of…broken, inside my head," he said sadly. "But I mean it, Reno, I love you. I do."

"You're gonna make me cry, yo," Reno laughed shakily, blinking back a tear. "I could die happy right now."

"Let's not talk about dying just yet, okay?" frowned Cloud. "Do you want to…stay here a while?" he asked Reno. "I could spend forever here," he said absently, leaning back against Reno, and sighing happily.

"Eh, nobody's dying, Cloud," Reno chuckled. "Just a figure of speech, yo. And, as much as I'd like to stay here all day, I'm still fucking hungry. We never did eat lunch, you know."

"Yeah, no thanks to Tseng and Rufus rushing us along," Cloud remarked dryly. "Why don't we head to Rufus's place then. Maybe I'll cook something," Cloud smiled.

"Okay," agreed Reno. "Just…give us five more minutes, " he begged, running his fingers through Cloud's blond spiked hair. "I'm not ready to end this moment…not just yet." Cloud leaned into Reno's hand, loving how it felt, those long fingers dancing lazily against his neck. Something clicked inside Cloud's head, something intangible, but he felt it; it was as if the cosmos themselves suddenly lurched and shifted.

"How about…a bit longer than five minutes?" Cloud asked Reno innocently.

Raising an eyebrow, Reno regarded Cloud curiously. "What did you have in mind, Cloud?" he asked.

"This," said Cloud abruptly, suddenly sitting up and straddling Reno's lap; then, framing the Turk's face with his hands, he pulled it in toward him for a fiery kiss. "I've decided," Cloud said plainly, stroking a thatch of Reno's hair that was hanging down over his left eye. "I'm…ready. I want you, and I want you now." He grabbed Reno's hand and led it towards his crotch, letting Reno know how ready he _really_ was.

Reno broke into a nervous grin. All of a sudden, it seemed as if things were going a bit too fast, even though it was something he had been longing for. _Then again, who am I to argue with a stiffy? _Reno thought, grinning down at his own growing bulge, housed uncomfortably in his tight pants.

"Okay, Cloud," Reno said, his lips grazing Cloud's. "I'm ready if you are, but…do you want to…um, here? Don't you want to head to the villa?"

"No," replied Cloud, getting up and leading Reno by the hand, into a bed of ferns underneath the grotto. "I think this place, right here…is just about perfect," he said as he reclined back against a cushion of bright green fronds. Reno gasped as he regarded him; the contrast of Cloud's blond hair, and his eyes of ocean blue, against the backdrop of brilliant green, quite literally took his breath away.

"Oh yeah," Reno breathed. "This place is absolutely fucking perfect for us." He lowered himself down toward the ground, laying himself next to Cloud. "You're sure about this, Cloud?" he asked tentatively.

"Stop fucking asking me, Reno," murmured Cloud with a grin, as he pulled Reno on top of him. "I want you…now…and I'm _ready_ now. How much clearer do I have to be?" His hand started wandering up the back of Reno's perpetually untucked shirt, his fingers gently grazing the back. _Did he always have this many scars?_ Cloud wondered, as he felt the raised lines of flesh on Reno's back_. I may have to ask him about that…later._

_**'Cause I want it now  
I want it now  
Give me your heart and your soul  
**_

"Let me," Cloud said in a low voice, "rediscover you again, Reno. I've fallen in love with you twice, now, it seems," he smiled. "I want to explore…all of you."

Reno grinned widely. "Sounds pretty good to me, yo," crooned Reno. "You know I won't be able to keep my hands to myself though," he growled, as his hand groped Cloud's growing bulge through the fabric of his pants. Cloud groaned in response. Tugging at Reno's shirt to remove it, Cloud whispered, "I want to see you, Reno…all of you." He jerked the shirt up over Reno's head, and removed it quickly, his teeth briefly making contact with a nipple, causing Reno to inhale sharply.

"Fuck," muttered Reno. "Stupid fucking pants!" He cursed them readily, as his trembling hands fought to unbuckle and unzip, and lose the offending garment as quickly as possible. Cloud laughed at Reno's impatience, and began to unbuckle his own pants, removing them hastily, and casting them quickly to the side.

"Get this fucking thing off, too," Reno commanded, relieving Cloud of his shirt. Reno dove into Cloud's neck, biting and nipping, his hands cupping Cloud's buttocks underneath. "Gods, Cloud," he hissed, "I love you so much." He started as he felt Cloud's hand snaking toward his stiffened cock. "Mm, don't do that just yet," he cautioned with a grin.

"I remember what happened, Reno," Cloud said, smiling happily. "I remember what happened…what you and I did, on my motorcycle."

"You do?" exclaimed Reno. "Cloud…that's fucking fantastic! Seriously, it's fucking awesome." Reno pulled Cloud up slightly to him, snaking his tongue into Cloud's mouth for a fiery kiss.

"Yeah, I thought so too," laughed Cloud. "They're hitting me in bits and pieces, my memories, but it's been steadier...lately. I think just being with you, Reno, is making it all possible... I love you."

"Love you too, Cloud…so fucking much," Reno murmured as he nuzzled Cloud's neck, teeth working their way down the expanse of muscle, until they reached Cloud's shoulder. Reno bit down harder, not quite enough to draw blood, but enough to elicit an appreciative groan from Cloud. "Reno…" Cloud mumbled absently, "um…did you bring lube?"

Reno stopped what he was doing, and gave Cloud a sly look. "Yeah, I did. I don't leave home without it, yo," he chortled. "It's in my bag." He got up quickly from where they'd been laying, trotting quickly over to the motorcycle, and fumbled through his duffle bag hurriedly. "Fuck! Why do I just throw shit in a bag like this, I never can find anything!" he snapped.

Cloud lay where he was, amused, and admiring the sight of a fully unclothed Reno. _He is perfect,_ pondered Cloud_. I wonder if I ever realized this…before, just how fucking beautiful he is._

"Found it, fucking finally!" Reno muttered somewhat irritably, locating the tube, and opening it as he walked back toward Cloud. Kneeling in between Cloud's opened legs, Reno squirted a bit of the substance on several fingers, and snaked them in between the flesh of Cloud's buttocks, navigating even higher until they reached their ultimate goal. Reno inserted one finger, then another, slathering the lube up into Cloud's tight ring of muscle, making him gasp. "Getting you ready for me," whispered Reno. "I don't want anything to hurt you Cloud, ever again…especially not me." Cloud nodded. "You never could hurt me, Reno, " he uttered softly. "I trust you…completely."

_**And I want you now  
I want you now  
I feel my heart implode**_

_That's all I need to know, then_, thought Reno. Squirting a bit of lube onto his fingers, he slicked up the head of his shaft, and guided it down toward Cloud's opening. He grabbed Cloud's thighs and pulled them upward, wrapping them around his slim waist, as he thrusted – gently at first, until Cloud got used to the sensation – then began pumping away with increasing speed. "Feeling okay, Cloud?" Reno asked, panting.

"Yes," Cloud gasped. "Oh gods, you feel so fucking good, Reno. Don't stop…just don't stop," he begged, digging his nails into Reno's ass, using this leverage to slam Reno into him even harder.

"Oh fuck, yeah," Reno growled. "Make me bleed, babe." Smirking, Cloud's fingers trailed over the mound of flesh, seeking out Reno's tight opening, and teasing it by ghosting his fingers around the perimeter.

"What the fuck are you up to, Cloud?" Reno asked him, gasping. Giving Reno a sly glance, Cloud stuck the digits into his mouth, slaking them up with saliva, and plunged them, one at a time, into Reno's ass. Arching his back upward and gazing toward the heavens, Reno cried out at this unexpected, albeit pleasant intrusion. "Gods, Cloud, that feels so fucking good," he moaned. He was starting to have trouble focusing on continuing his thrusts into Cloud, with this newfound sensation assaulting his senses.

"Want me to stop?" Cloud asked coyly, continuing to pump his fingers in and out of Reno, adding a third finger as he did so.

"Nooooo fucking way," laughed Reno, breathlessly. He suddenly felt himself tense, and knew he was reaching nirvana. "Ngh," he grunted. "Cloud, I'm gonna come," Reno warned, as he grabbed Cloud's cock with his right hand, and began stroking it rapidly. He wanted Cloud to feel his release at the same time, or as close as possible. Cloud groaned, and removed his fingers from Reno's ass, grabbing his member and working it furiously, his fingers entwining with Reno's. "Oh fuck, I'm gonna blow," cried Cloud, just as Reno emptied his load into him. At that moment, Cloud spurted all over his hand and Reno's, their fingers still entwined around Cloud's shaft, masturbating it into submission.

Reno gave one final thrust into Cloud, and cried out. "Gods, Cloud," he moaned. "That…was fucking incredible," he declared as he withdrew himself from his lover.

"Yeah," agreed Cloud, lying back on the bed of ferns, feeling nearly incapable of speech, and also feeling comfortably, pleasantly numb. "That was…wow."

"Uh huh," echoed Reno, lying on his back and staring up at the green lushness of the fern covered wall. "I…think I'll relax here a while. Don't want to move," he grinned. He turned his head to regard Cloud, who was looking up at the clear sky.

"Your eyes are the same color, you know,' Reno observed.

"Huh?" Cloud said absently. He had been lazily daydreaming, lost in a pleasant, post-lovemaking haze.

Reno laughed. "Gaia to Cloud, you in there?" he teased. "I was just saying…your eyes look like they're reflecting the sky, yo. They're the same color."

"Oh," Cloud replied, blushing. "Um, thanks."

"You don't like getting compliments, huh? Too bad…I'm gonna keep giving them," Reno remarked, running a hand through Cloud's blond spikes. He reached over next to Cloud, locating the leather cording he used to tie back his hair, and putting it back into a ponytail.

"Ah, don't put it back up yet, Reno," Cloud pleaded. "I like it down."

"I know you do," Reno grinned. "But once we're back on the bike, that shit'll blow around and get in my mouth, and piss me off."

"Good point," conceded Cloud, smiling. "So…shall we get going in a minute, and head to the villa?"

"Yeah, in a minute," agreed Reno. "I just want to…tell you something before we go."

"What is it, Reno?" Cloud asked, arching an eyebrow and looking mildly interested.

"Just that…I love you, and this afternoon, here in my favorite spot in the world…it has been the best time I've ever spent with you. It feels like you've come home to me, Cloud," he said, reaching his hand out to caress Cloud's face.

"I _have_ come home, Reno," Cloud whispered, his voice trembling. "You are my home…and I'll never leave you like that again." He had tears in his eyes as some more memories suddenly came flooding back; of leaving Reno sobbing after him in the street, as he chased after Sephiroth; then, believing that Sephiroth had somehow captured Reno and held him hostage in the cave – the remembrances flashed across Cloud's mind rapidly, and took him by surprise.

"I'm so sorry, Reno," sniffed Cloud. "I'm so sorry I left you like that, with no warning…please forgive me."

"Oh, Cloud," sighed Reno, ruffling Cloud's hair, and pulling him closer to hug him tightly. "Of course I forgive you…I already did."

"Thank you," whispered Cloud. "And…I love you too, Reno."

Reno smiled, laying back with Cloud's head resting on his chest, continuing to stroke his hair. _So fucking happy right now_, he thought, smiling blissfully, as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"It's been done," Vincent said to the others gathered around him at Seventh Heaven. Tifa, was there, naturally, as were Nanaki and Yuffie. They were awaiting the return of Elena, Tseng, and Rude, after their meeting with president ShinRa.

"I've informed Tseng…he's pledged to keep the information from Cloud and Reno."

"Yeah, but can you trust him?" Yuffie demanded. She was slouching in a chair at a corner table, clearly exhausted, sleep threatening to take over.

"Yes," Vincent replied firmly. "I do trust Tseng. Had I gone directly to Rufus with this, it might have been a different story. Although, Tseng is going to share this with Rufus—"

"Oh, great," Tifa broke in, rolling her eyes. "Now him, I do _not_ trust. Not one bit," she said, shaking her head.

"I'm hoping that Tseng will make Rufus realize how necessary it is to keep Reno and Cloud out of the loop….for now," Vincent remarked, leaning back in his chair. "And Tseng also agreed to relocate both of them for now."

"How are they going to sell Reno and Cloud on that, I wonder?" asked Tifa. "You know Reno doesn't trust Rufus much more than I do…neither does Rude. Nice, huh?" she huffed.

"Well, with good reason," Nanaki remarked. "Rufus is not to be trusted. He's just like his old man. Except even worse," he snorted.

"So…." Yuffie cut in, "how do we know Rufus won't do something completely assholeish and like, tell them, or something?" She frowned at Vincent

Vincent sighed, leaning forward, and folding his hands. "Well…we don't. We can only hope that he does the right thing, and listens to Tseng."

* * *

Tseng was back in his office, alone, after the meeting with Rufus had concluded. He was planning to join Rude and Elena later on at Seventh Heaven, to hold a meeting with Vincent and everyone else who was there, to discuss the latest goings-on.

_I wonder…_thought Tseng_, I wonder if I should share this with Vincent. I haven't even shared this with Cloud, yet._ He unlocked his file cabinet, and took out an old, dog-eared manila folder. The label on the side read: Project C.

Opening the folder, Tseng skimmed the contents, and began to read aloud to himself. "_Subject: Strife, Anna J. Fetus: boy, gestational age 33 weeks. Injections successful thus far, with no signs of rejection. Continue to monitor progress of subject's pregnancy and delivery, all follow up testing to be done by me_."

_Signed off by Hojo._ Tseng closed the folder, and put it back in the file cabinet again, locking it.

_Gods, Hojo, what did you do to him?_ Tseng thought, frowning. Cloud would have to be told, eventually, and Tseng would have to be the one to do it_. I don't even know how to explain this to him,_ Tseng worried_. I just don't. How exactly does one tell someone that they're not who they thought they were…and that their entire existence was born of deception and lies?_

* * *

**Uh oh. The little known "Project C." Heh. :)**

**The setting for Reno's fern grotto is inspired by an actual place – there's a fern grotto in Kauai, up the Wailua River, that is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I've ever seen in my life. My husband and I went there on our honeymoon, and thought that it looked like a pretty nice place to get down. Well, it would have been, if it weren't for all the damned tourists standing around taking pictures of it!**

**Having issues posting links here, but it you Google "fern grotto Kauai", you can see it that way. :)**

**~This chapter is dedicated to my friend, H. I learned over the weekend that she died suddenly, and today was her funeral service. It was such a hard day, but I'm glad I went to say goodbye. ****H, thank you for all your encouragement, and for inspiring me to break out of my shell in my writing. Much love… may your spark and your spirit forever be borne on the wind.**


	15. Bliss

**REVISED 1/8/11. Will explain the reasons for revision at the end – I don't want to spoil anything!**

**Warnings: Lemons, yaoi, language, brief mention of suicide, reference to drug use…**

**Songs referenced within: "Don't Speak" – No Doubt; "A Different Corner" – George Michael; "Everlong" –Foo Fighters. As always, I own none of them, they are quoted to set the mood, and I do not own Final Fantasy, Square Enix does.**

**Please read and review! **

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* * *

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The dappled sunlight shone down through the canopy of trees and foliage in the grotto, and danced across Reno's sleeping face, warming it, and causing him to slowly awaken. He began to stir, and quickly looked at his wristwatch, wondering how long he'd been napping. _Only fifteen minutes or so, it looks like_, he thought.

Reno suddenly realized the space next to him, that Cloud had been occupying before he had drifted off to sleep…was now vacant. Where was Cloud? Panic gripped Reno's heart; should he worry? Cloud had improved, yes, but was not fully recovered…what if he wandered off and got hurt?

He got up quickly, heart pounding, as he scanned the area immediately surrounding him for Cloud. Suddenly, he spotted Cloud's crouching form, squatting at the edge of the lagoon. Hearing Reno's approach, Cloud looked up, smiling at him. He had just splashed some water over his face, and ran some through his blond spikes. "Hey," Cloud said, greeting Reno, as he got up from where he'd been squatting by the water's edge. "You dozed off, there."

"Yeah, just a little nap, yo," Reno replied. He slowly made his way toward Cloud, drinking in the sight of him, as the sunlight broke through the tree branches, spotlighting Cloud's blond hair. "You look so good, Cloud," Reno murmured, wrapping his arms around Cloud's waist, and hugging him tightly, brushed his lips against Cloud's forehead.

Leaning into the embrace, Cloud sighed happily. "So do you, Reno," Cloud said softly. "I should tell you that more often…how beautiful you are." Reno scoffed at this. "You really know how to make me feel good, yo," Reno replied, "but _me_ and _beautiful_ don't exactly belong in the same sentence, you know," he said, smirking.

"But you are, Reno," Cloud said firmly, staring into those crystal blue eyes that he so loved, and running his index finger along his jawbone, making Reno shiver suddenly. "You are beautiful to me. Stop being so goddamned modest, you're starting to sound like me." Cloud grinned knowingly at his lover. Reno never failed to surprise him; as much as he'd call Cloud out for being overly modest, Reno was doing exactly the same thing.

"Ha. Very funny," Reno snorted. "But..nobody's ever called me that, Cloud…except for you," Reno whispered. "Gods, I love you so much."

"And I love you too, Reno," Cloud replied easily. Casting a glance at the sun high in the sky overhead, Cloud said, "Um…I'd love to stay here all day, really…and maybe have another go at it again," he smiled slyly. "But we really need to get to the villa, I am getting really hungry too."

"Oh yeah," replied Reno. "I'm wicked starving myself. I guess we forgot about food…before," he laughed.

"Yeah," smiled Cloud, blushing slightly as he recalled their tryst in the grotto. "We were...busy, I guess," he giggled. Cloud broke suddenly, but reluctantly, from Reno's embrace, and moved to tie his bag back onto his motorcycle. "Give me your bag, Reno," Cloud commanded. "We really should get going here."

"Okay, okay," protested Reno, handing the bag over to Cloud, who tied it onto the motorcycle, before getting on himself. "I wish we could just stay here forever, Cloud. I really do," Reno said as he regarded the view once again. With a reluctant sigh, he got on the motorcycle, sitting behind Cloud and wrapping his arms around his waist, leaning in toward Cloud's back.

Turning back to regard Reno, Cloud smiled. "We'll come back here again, don't worry," Cloud assured him. "I love it here just as much as you do."

Starting up the motorcycle, Cloud let out the throttle slowly, and guided the motorcycle back on the dirt path that led back to the main road, heading back to town, and toward Rufus's villa.

* * *

Back in Edge, Tseng, Rude, and Elena had arrived at Seventh Heaven. The bar and diner was once again reopened for business; although Tifa could have used another day off, losing another day's income was just not a possibility. So, she reluctantly reopened the shutters once again, and unlocked the doors. Busying herself with the day-to-day running of the restaurant was a welcome distraction from other matters at hand –namely, Sephiroth.

Nevertheless, Tifa knew the rest of the group needed to convene, and offered the former basement hideout of AVALANCHE. Barret and Nanaki were already sequestered down there, when Tseng and his Turks – minus Reno, of course – arrived. Yuffie and Vincent were still seated near the bar, as the Turks entered Seventh Heaven.

"Tifa," Tseng said wearily, greeting her as she ushered the group inside. "Are you…okay, Tseng?" Tifa asked hesitantly, noting the bags under Tseng's eyes, along with his worried expression. Smiling briefly, Tseng replied, "I'm fine, Tifa. Just tired."

Turning to Vincent, who was making his way toward the basement, Tseng called to him. "Vincent? A word, before we begin?" _Alone_, he mouthed to Vincent.

Nodding silently, Vincent moved toward Tseng. "What is it, Tseng?" asked Vincent, appearing concerned. _Something is wrong…I can tell, just by the look on his face._

"Everyone," Vincent said, addressing the remainder of the group. "If you'll all just proceed down to the basement…Tseng and I will meet up with you shortly."

Yuffie frowned; she knew that she and the others were being left out of something - something big, by the look on Tseng's face, and she didn't like it one bit. "What's going on?" she demanded. "What's with all this secrecy?"

"Yuffie, please," Vincent pleaded. "Let me hear what Tseng has to say, and I'll fill everyone in if necessary."

Rude stood there silently, as did Elena. "I'm assuming," Tifa cut in dryly, glaring at Rude in particular, "that I, and the others…will be filled in later on." She angrily turned her back on Rude, not saying a word. With that, Rude, Elena and Yuffie headed toward the basement hideout, leaving Tseng and Vincent to their own devices.

"Tifa," Vincent began. "Is there somewhere we can—"

"Talk in private?" Tifa interrupted, finishing Vincent's sentence for him. She regarded Vincent and Tseng warily –clearly, she didn't like having information withheld from her either. "You can use Cloud's old room. I certainly wish I knew what this was about, though, that you need so much privacy," Tifa added irritably.

"Thank you, Tifa," replied Tseng. "And please understand – it's not my intention to keep things from the group. I just want to discuss this with Vincent first, and then we'll see how to proceed from there."

"Suit yourself," Tifa replied briefly. "I have to get back to work; happy hour will be here before you know it. Vincent, you know the way up, right?"

"Yes," Vincent answered. "And thank you, Tifa."

"Yeah," Tifa sniffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "You're welcome, I guess."

Vincent and Tseng trudged up the narrow staircase, heading towards the room that was once occupied by Cloud – now vacant. "She's none too pleased, you know," Vincent murmured, looking at Tseng for a reaction.

"I know, Vincent…I know," Tseng replied resignedly. "Believe me…I wouldn't be presenting it this way if this wasn't…sensitive material."

"Well, as always, I trust your judgment, Tseng," Vincent remarked, as they entered the small bedroom, and shut the door behind them. "But it goes without saying, that I have a bad feeling about this."

Tseng grimaced, as he sat down on the small bed, and opened his briefcase. "Your instincts have always served you well, Vincent," he observed. Shuffling through the papers in his briefcase, Tseng unearthed the manila folder he had been perusing just an hour ago – a folder that could potentially contain Cloud's worst nightmare.

"You can start by reading this," Tseng stated, handing the folder over to Vincent, who had taken a seat in the chair facing Tseng. He opened the folder immediately, and began reading. His eyes widened as he reached Hojo's entries. "Tseng," Vincent muttered hoarsely. "Does this mean…?"

"The data, unfortunately, is incomplete," Tseng cut in. "But yes…this means that Cloud was experimented on, in utero. The Mako shower he received, around the time Zack Fair received similar treatment, was certainly not the first time anyone had experimented upon Cloud." Tseng paused, and wagged a finger toward the folder, still in Vincent's lap. "Keep reading," he instructed. "There's more."

Vincent was flabbergasted. "I…never knew." _How could I not have known? And what 'more' could there be to this? _

Opening the folder and removing a sheet with typewritten notes, resembling a data log, Vincent began to read aloud. "_Subject: Strife, Anna J. Fetus, boy, gestational age 35 weeks. Fetus is starting to show signs of rejecting the Jenova cells. It was hoped that this fetus, being part Cetra, would have developed hybridized Cetra cells in concurrence with the Jenova cells, but this does not appear to be the case. Experiment considered to be a failure. Delivery via Caesarean section scheduled three weeks hence. Will continue to monitor child post-partum, all follow-up testing to be done by myself_."

"Wait," said Vincent, halting his narrative. "Part _Cetra_? Did I read that correctly?"

"Yes, Vincent," Tseng confirmed. "Apparently Cloud's mother…was half Cetra. Making Cloud one-quarter Cetra."

"I don't believe this," Vincent muttered, leaning back in his chair, digesting the unbelievable information he had just reviewed. "How could I….not have known about this? Or…even sensed anything…different, about Cloud."

"It's true," admitted Tseng, "Cloud's Cetra bloodline is…more diluted than, say, Aerith's was, for example. She was half Cetra, and Cloud was only one-quarter. But, one-quarter Cetra blood was apparently enough…for Hojo to want to experiment on him," Tseng laughed bitterly. "And he called him a failed experiment, all those years. We all assumed Hojo was referring only to the Mako shower,as being the 'failed experiment.' But there was much more to it than that, as we now know."

"Unbelievable," murmured Vincent. "So…what does this mean, Tseng? In terms of Cloud's current condition, that is. The wings…"

"Ah, yes," replied Tseng. "Well…I have a theory, but it's a work in progress. I'll do my best to explain what I think is happening here."

Vincent nodded. "Please, go ahead," he prodded Tseng.

"Well," Tseng began, "I believe that Cloud's current hybridization is a result of him being one-quarter Cetra; having been showered with Mako, and then – the infusion of S-cells, via…Sephiroth's rape of Cloud." Tseng gave a small cough, shifting uncomfortably on the small bed. He hated bringing up the topic of the rape – it was something that everyone wanted to wipe out of their minds, after having witnessed the act in the cave.

"Hojo's tests seem conclusive in proving that Cetra blood is incompatible with Jenova cells," Tseng continued. "The report you have in your hand there, Vincent, indicates that while Cloud's fetus did not initially reject the Jenova injections - eventually they did. In short –Cetra cells kill Jenova cells."

Realization suddenly dawned over Vincent. "My gods," he said breathlessly, "you mean—the Cetra, had they not been wiped out, could have inadvertently killed Jenova and her descendants…by breeding with them?"

"That is part of my theory, yes," affirmed Tseng. "And that is why Jenova took steps immediately, to eliminate the Cetra."

Vincent let out an exhalation, not even realizing he had been holding his breath. "Wait a minute. So why—when Sephiroth…raped Cloud-why did that not kill Sephiroth? He has Jenova cells in him, after all."

"You're right, Vincent, he does," Tseng replied. "The only thing I can figure, is that Sephiroth's cells – the hybrid human/Jenova cell, which we have come to call S-cells—are immune to the usual effects of Cetra cells. Remember too, that Cloud is not a full-blooded Cetra.

And further," Tseng added, "Sephiroth is not comprised purely of Jenova cells…he does have some human in him. But based on the last tests we ran on Sephiroth, it seems that the Jenova cells are consuming any human cells left in his body. Eventually…I would expect to see Sephiroth degenerate and become one-hundred percent Jenova." Tseng sighed, bracing himself to continue his explanation to Vincent.

"In the final analysis…I believe that Cloud is something we've not seen yet; a human-Cetra hybrid who's been infused with S-cells and Mako. Obviously, we have not yet had the benefit of further testing, to determine what this means. But it does seem clear, thus far, that Cloud's wings are one such manifestation of this hybridization."

"My gods," Vincent murmured. He closed the folder shut, and sat back in his chair, staring blankly at the wall. "I take it…Cloud's mother never told him he was part Cetra," Vincent ventured.

"Correct," answered Tseng. "Nor is he aware of the experiments performed on him in utero."

"Well….shit," Vincent uncharacteristically cursed. "Tseng….we have to tell him, you know."

"I know that, Vincent," Tseng agreed. "I know. I just don't know…how."

Vincent sighed, and placed his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes. "Neither do I, Tseng," he muttered. "Neither do I."

* * *

In the Forgotten City, Genesis and Sephiroth had feasted on the day's kill, as if they hadn't eaten in weeks. Genesis cleaned and dressed the chocobos, while Sephiroth tackled the much larger chimera, and they roasted the meats in the cast iron pot hanging in the fireplace.

Genesis found some stunted, yet edible looking, potatoes, carrots and parsnips in a small garden behind the cottage; he dug these up, and rinsed them, adding them to the large cauldron, along with the water, to make an impromptu stew. Despite the lack of spices, and finding only rudimentary cooking implements in the kitchen, Genesis managed to create a rather tasty, and satisfying stew, that he ladled out into a pair of homespun looking wooden bowls he had located in the pantry. Sephiroth ate even more voraciously than Genesis did, taking the lion's share of their meal.

"Sorry, Gen, for being so greedy," Sephiroth muttered through a mouthful of the stew. "I feel as if I've not eaten in months."

"It _has_ been months, Seph," Genesis reminded him gently. "About a year, actually, that you were in stasis." A shadow passed over Genesis's face, and he stared out the open window at the horizon, appearing distracted.

Sephiroth stopped chewing, and looked up at Genesis, suddenly noting how troubled his lover seemed to look. "Well," he marveled. "How about that? I have…no real recollection of how much time passed, while I was in the Northern Crater," he admitted. "I remember that feeling…of being in limbo, encased in Mako as I was. But it seems now, when I look back, that it couldn't possibly have been that long. It only feels like I was 'out' for a few weeks." He frowned, and tucked back into his stew.

"Is…everything okay, Genesis?" Sephiroth ventured, worried about the change in mood with Genesis. He wondered what accounted for Genesis's sudden pensiveness. Certainly Genesis had been in a more positive frame of mind earlier that day. Now he seemed…distant and unhappy. Sephiroth didn't like this.

Genesis leaned back in his chair and sighed. He was, undoubtedly, worried about some of the apparent gaps in Sephiroth's memory. However, there was something much more pressing on Genesis's mind than this mental fog of Sephiroth's.

"Sephiroth," Genesis said abruptly, "Do you love him?"

Sephiroth choked on his stew, spluttering. "What! Who-what on Gaia are you talking about, Genesis!" he demanded, sounding shocked, and a bit angry. His cat-like pupils dilated, laced with a bit of fear. _He knows…by Gaia, somehow he knows…what I did to Cloud…_

Genesis faced Sephiroth, and looked sorrowfully at him. "I know what happened, Seph," he began gently, but firmly. "I know what transpired between you and Cloud…in the cave…" Genesis's voice began to falter as he looked at the floor_. _

"How do you know about-of course I don't love him, Gen!" Sephiroth scoffed, stammering over his words. "I hate Cloud. I _hate_ him!" he said vehemently, flecks of spittle flying from his lips, as if to punctuate his statement.

"So that's why you fucked him?" Genesis cut in, casting a withering glare at Sephiroth. "Because you hate him so much, you fucked him until he was unconscious?"

"No, Genesis!" Sephiroth protested, getting up from the table where he was seated. "It wasn't like that! Cloud means nothing to me, he is shit – he is less than shit—"

"Don't, Seph," Genesis warned, standing up as well, and pointing a finger in Sephiroth's face. "Just…don't! I went to Hades and back for you…and this is how you repaid me," he spat. "I just don't believe you anymore!"

_**Don't speak  
I know just what you're saying  
So please stop explaining  
Don't tell me cause it hurts  
**_

Genesis turned and fled from the cottage, running into a thicket of trees, and leaving Sephiroth standing there with his jaw hanging open. "What just happened?" Sephiroth said to himself, flabbergasted. He stood there frozen, not knowing the best course of action – should he follow Genesis, or wait for him to return?

_What if he doesn't return? _Sephiroth reflected. That thought alone was enough to propel his long legs into a run. He headed after Genesis, into the woods, his silver hair streaming behind him like glowing filaments.

Ashamed at the tears that were now falling freely from his eyes, Genesis ran swiftly through the woods, never looking back. He didn't know if Sephiroth was pursuing him; he wondered if he would even care if the general did. He ran until his chest hurt, until the lungfuls of air he was taking in cut his chest as sharply as if he cut himself with his own rapier. He ran to get away from Sephiroth, from those visions that kept haunting him every night before he went to sleep – visions of Cloud and Sephiroth together. He ran from everything…including himself.

_**And if all that there is, is this fear of being used  
I should go back to being lonely and confused…**_

_Why, Sephiroth, why? Wasn't I…enough for you?_ Genesis thought, sobbing. _I'm going to break…I tried to hold it in, Gaia knows I tried…but I'm going to break….gods help me…_

_

* * *

_

The time that followed fell into a blissful mosaic for Reno and Cloud, akin to what newlyweds feel when honeymooning at some tropical locale. However, the two of them were anything but newlyweds. They had barely begun a relationship, when the disaster at the Northern Crater occurred. Now, settling into vacation mode, they were approaching something resembling…normalcy. Except for the fact that there were so many questions, particularly about Cloud's physical changes, that still remained unanswered. Neither Cloud nor Reno wanted to bring up this subject, so they pushed it to the side – for now –wanting to simply enjoy one another_. Like any normal couple_, thought Reno_. I hope we can get back to that point…somehow…_

Rufus's villa was more like a small mansion, compared to the smaller vacation villas dotting the coastal landscape of Costa del Sol. Finished in a pale pink stucco, and topped with terracotta tile roofing, the structure looked to be the size of Cloud's small apartment complex. It was a bit ostentatious, but then again – so was Rufus ShinRa. There was a sun porch off the kitchen, and a large patio and pool area off of the back of the house. Certainly Rufus had overlooked no expense or small luxury when building his vacation home.

The house staff- consisting of Rufus's butler, maid and chef - were all on hand to greet Cloud and Reno, after they made their way back from the grotto. Rufus's staff was more than welcoming, and made sure that Cloud and Reno were settled in their room quickly. They had been given the master suite, which had an adjoining bathroom nearly as big as the bedroom itself, equipped with a Jacuzzi, and frosted-pane windows overlooking the seacoast. Cloud found himself standing there, staring out the windows, watching the waves crash onto the shore. He felt as if he were finally at peace, ever since-

_That. That thing that happened to me…in the cave…want to forget…_

Reno sidled up behind Cloud, wrapping his arms around him, lips grazing Cloud's earlobe. "I say we christen that bathtub, yo," he whispered teasingly. Cloud laughed, stroking Reno's forearms gently with his fingers. "Yeah," he said softly, looking back over his shoulder at Reno. "That'd be nice." Reno cupped Cloud's chin with his fingers, and kissed him.

"We'll…unpack first, maybe," Cloud replied, blushing and smiling. He moved reluctantly from Reno to grab his bag, which had been placed on a nearby chair by the butler. "Yeah, we should unpack," agreed Reno. "And then can we eat?" he inquired. "I'm fucking starving."

Cloud giggled. "You've been saying that since about ten this morning, Reno," he teased.

"Yeah, well," smirked Reno. "What can I say? I guess we worked up an appetite, yo," he said, casting a flirty glance at Cloud.

Turning his attention to unpacking his bag, Reno muttered , "First thing I need to unpack, are my fucking cigarettes." Finally locating his prize, a carton of Wutaian clove cigarettes that Tseng had imported for him from his home country, Reno let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Gaia," he said, hurriedly opening a package, and placing a cigarette in between his lips, enjoying the taste even before it was lit. "Oooh baby," he sighed contentedly.

Cloud gave Reno a sideward smirk. "Should I leave you two alone?" he inquired, mockingly.

"Oh, shut UP, Cloud!" Reno retorted, chuckling. "Mister I-don't- smoke."

"Oh, I smoke, all right," replied Cloud, holding up a zippered plastic bag full of pot he had just removed from his duffel bag, and shaking it in Reno's face. "Just not those things."

"What?" Reno exclaimed, completely in shock. "Cloud…seriously? _You_?" A huge grin lit his face. _Cloud gets high? Sweet fucking Gaia! How did I not know this?_

Cloud gave Reno a _look_ after his outburst. "Look," he said firmly. "I don't always have a stick up my ass, like some people seem to think. I don't smoke a lot…just a few times a year, when I feel like it."

"What?" Reno replied, trying his best to look innocent. "I never said anything of the kind, about a stick up your—"

"Eh, it's all right," Cloud laughed, cutting Reno off. "I know people think I'm all quiet and serious, but there _are_ other sides to me."

"Yeah, there are," Reno said huskily, leering at Cloud. "And I've seen quite a few of them, yo."

"Keep it in your pants, Turk," Cloud teased. "At least until after we unpack and eat our lunch."

"Damn. Well, okay then," Reno replied, grinning. He unearthed the few dress shirts he had brought with him – wrinkled by now –and hung them next to Cloud's shirts already hanging in the closet. He stood back and looked in the closet, smiling. _It feels so real now_, Reno thought happily. _Seeing our stuff hanging together like that…like some old married couple…it feels like Cloud and I are finally, really together._

Soon after they had unpacked, a hesitant knock came on the door. "Excuse me, sirs," came the voice of Sally, the maid, through the closed door. "I've set some sandwiches out for you, they're in the kitchen. You may help yourselves to any beverages in the refrigerator…we have beer, wine, soda…"

Reno opened the door, cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth, as he smiled down at the diminutive Sally. "Hey, you don't have to get all fancy with us, yo," he laughed. "We're not the 'sir' type, you know."

"Reno!" Cloud hissed, as he folded a pair of shorts and shoved them into a drawer. "She's just being polite!"

Sally laughed. "It's okay," she said brightly. "It's nice waiting on someone who isn't as tightly wound as Mr. Rufus." She gasped, clapping a hand to her mouth, after realizing what she had said. "Please! Don't tell him I said that!" she begged, looking back and forth frantically between the two men.

Reno and Cloud looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Don't worry," Reno replied, in between fits of giggles, "we won't tell that tight ass a thing."

Laughing, they exited the bedroom, and followed Sally back down to the kitchen. It was, just like everything else Rufus ShinRa owned, state-of-the-art, and _huge_. The kitchen boasted an eight-burner, stainless steel stove, a refrigerator "bigger than my fucking bathroom," according to Reno, and a fully stocked floor-to-ceiling wine refrigerator. "Man. Rufus knows how to live it up, I guess," Cloud remarked.

"Dude, come ON, let's eat already," Reno complained. He grabbed a sandwich from the platter that had been set out by Sally, and took a seat on Rufus's spotless kitchen table, foregoing the chairs.

Cloud reached for a sandwich, laughing at Reno. "You know, Reno," he chided cheerfully, "I don't think Rufus would take too kindly to you sitting your ass on his kitchen table."

"Oh, _fuck_ Rufus, yo!" retorted Reno, chewing on his sandwich. "There are worse things we could do than just SIT on this table, right Cloud?" he said, giving Cloud a knowing look and a sly smile.

"You are just so bad, Reno," giggled Cloud. "But…do we really want to give poor Sally a heart attack, if we go at it on the table?"

"Well, no," replied Reno, chewing thoughtfully. "I suppose not. Who would bring us our sandwiches?" He laughed. They both finished their sandwiches, and helped themselves to beers from the refrigerator. Cloud grew silent, and looked out of the front window, toward the horizon. Reno noted that Cloud seemed to be in a contemplative – but happy—mood. He was feeling much the same way, finally feeling like things were nearly back to normal with Cloud, after spending days fearing they might never get to that point. Reno sighed happily, savoring the moment.

_We're all alone_, Reno reflected, grinning hugely_. On vacation, in paradise_. _How lucky can two guys get?_

Reno had been to Rufus's house once before, for a company dinner party, where he remembered feeling very out of place, calling it "one of Rufus's hoity-toity shindigs." He remembered and Rude had snuck out of that party, and gotten themselves good and drunk at the local bar. Snorting at this memory, Reno turned to relay the tale to Cloud, when he noticed him sitting on the sun porch that was just off the kitchen, staring into the sea.

Moving in closer, Reno gasped; he swore he could see the moving tide reflected in Cloud's eyes. It was beautiful…Reno wanted to hang back and silently watch Cloud, but as he gasped, he gave himself away. Looking up, Cloud smiled at Reno. "Hey," he said, greeting him.

"Hey babe," murmured Reno, his eyes not moving from Cloud's. He smiled at his lover, who seemed to be truly relaxed, for the first time since...

_Since before Sephiroth did what he did_, Reno thought with a slight grimace. He shook his head quickly, as if to rid his brain of this thought.

"What ya lookin' at?" Reno asked, smiling again. Cloud had settled back into his chair, and had stretched his legs out onto the porch railing, and looked out again toward the sea.

"Nothing in particular," Cloud replied. "Just…the colors out there. There are so many different shades of blue, you know?" Cloud said excitedly. "The ocean itself…so many variations of blue and green, and sometimes grey…" He broke off, staring almost dreamily at the waves. The sound soothed and relaxed him…he didn't want to move from the spot in which he was sitting, not for a while. Cloud just wanted to drink it all in, and truly relax. "Oh, I probably sound ridiculous right now," Cloud muttered, blushing. "Sorry…"

Reno took a seat beside him, and lazily stroked Cloud's arm, which was laying on the armrest of the deck chair. "No, you don't sound ridiculous. I love how happy you sound right now, Cloud," he smiled. "It's about time we have some happiness, you and I."

"Yeah," agreed Cloud, reaching over and clasping Reno's hand in his own. He ran his thumb along the back of Reno's knuckles. "I'd say." Cloud leaned over the side of the chair and pulled Reno toward him, kissing him slowly and tenderly on the lips. _So soft_, Cloud thought_. I can't get enough of his taste…_

"Reno," Cloud murmured, tugging on the Turk's ponytail, causing Reno to moan. "I want you…but not here…"

"Wow, again, Cloud?" Reno inquired, amazed. "Not that I'm complaining, yo! It's just that…we just did…a few hours ago…" Reno stammered.

"I'm ready," Cloud said firmly, as he guided Reno's hand down to his hard-on, struggling against his constricting pants. "See? Are…you ready?" he whispered hesitantly.

"You wouldn't believe how fucking ready I am, Cloud," Reno answered, breathing heavily. "Let's go to our room…before I won't be able to walk."

Cloud and Reno trudged down the hallway, back toward their bedroom, both panting already. "Dude," remarked Reno, "we haven't even started anything, yo, but I am all kinds of worked up."

"Me too," replied Cloud, as they reached the bedroom door. He pulled Reno quickly inside, and shut the door, locking it. "There's no 'do not disturb' sign. Oh well," Cloud murmured, as he took Reno in his arms and slammed him against the back of the closed bedroom door, eliciting a gasp from Reno. Cloud grinned. "I thought you liked it rough, Turk," he whispered teasingly. Cloud's lips met Reno's in a crushing kiss, his hands reaching up underneath Reno's shirt, stroking and caressing the skin that resided underneath. Reno responded by pulling Cloud into him, cupping a handful of ass, then attacking Cloud's neck while he ground his left thigh up into Cloud's crotch. "Oh gods, Reno," Cloud moaned with each movement from Reno.

"Gaia, yes," murmured Reno. "You like that, don't you baby," he said, encouraging Cloud to grind against him.

_**come down  
and waste away with me**_

Cloud grabbed Reno by both hands, and walked backwards, leading him toward the king-size bed, smiling the entire time. "I love you," Cloud told Reno happily, pulling him down with him, as he sank onto the bed.

Smiling back at Cloud, Reno replied in kind. "I know. And I love you too." He lay down on his side, facing Cloud, who was also laying on his side, reaching out and stroking his cheek. "We need to get these off," he murmured, pulling Cloud's shirt over his head, and moving to unbuckle his pants.

"That goes for you too, Reno," Cloud whispered, groaning as the Turk's fingers ghosted over the sensitive flesh of his back, tracing the outline of his hipbones, around to the front of his pants_. Oh yeah_, Reno thought, grinning, as the back of his hands brushed against Cloud's raging hard-on. _You're fucking ready as hell, Cloud._

Cloud gasped, feeling Reno's calloused knuckles teasing the soft flesh of his cock. "Oh gods, Reno," he moaned. "Don't make me come already!" he pleaded, laughing.

"Not a chance, babe," Reno whispered, deftly unzipping Cloud's pants and sliding them down his trembling legs, discarding them in a heap who knew where, somewhere on the bedroom floor. Cloud groaned loudly. This was taking too long, this removing of clothes, and Cloud was growing impatient. Not to mention, increasingly _hard_. Cloud flipped Reno on his back, pinning his wrists over his head, and lowered his lips to Reno's, capturing them in a fiery kiss. He ground his entire body onto Reno's, making the Turk groan with pleasure.

_**breathe out so I can breathe you in**_

Gliding his hands up the inside of Reno's shirt, Cloud quickly slid it off and over his head, whipping it to the floor. He gazed in wonderment at the beautiful man beneath him, as if he were seeing him for the first time. _This does…feel different somehow, this time,_ wondered Cloud_. I feel more confident, more sure…I don't know what's happening to me, but I just feel….like me again. _

"I'm back," Cloud whispered, as his hand slid down underneath the waistband of Reno's pants, making him gasp.

"Y-You're back?" Reno echoed, breathlessly, not making sense of Cloud's statement. "Um…where'd you go?"

"I mean, Reno—me. I think I'm back. I feel…complete again," Cloud said, smiling. He slowly unbuckled Reno's pants, and worked them down past his lean legs, casting them aside. Reno just lay there, smiling like an idiot. "Cloud," Reno beamed. "I knew you'd come back to me…all the way."

"I'm home," Cloud said simply, running his hand along the back of Reno's head, and pulling him up to kiss him. "I'm home with you, wherever you are. You're all I want, all I need…I don't want to waste another moment, we've lost enough of them already."

"Oh Cloud," sighed Reno. "Each day, I think I couldn't be happier…and then I am." Smiling, he returned the kiss, snaking his tongue in between Cloud's soft lips.

Cloud had positioned himself in between Reno's legs, his cock growing ever harder, and teasing the Turk's most sensitive area. "Cloud?" Reno began, a questioning tone to his voice.

"Yeah?" Cloud answered. "What's wrong, Reno?" he asked, while diving into the redheaded Turk's neck, nuzzling and licking those spots he knew would drive Reno insane.

"Nothing's wrong, Cloud," Reno replied, his hands groping Cloud's backside, fingers trailing lazily up his spine. "I just wondered if you—did you want to—" For some reason, Reno found himself incapable of forming sentences. _Do you want to be on top? Gaia, that's all I have to ask him, and why…can't I just fucking spit it out?_

"Yes, Reno," Cloud said huskily, his breath hitting Reno's face hotly, as he gazed right into those crystal blue eyes. "I do want to. Where you'd put the lube?" he questioned.

"Um," Reno stuttered. "The, uh—t-table over there. It's—over there."

Cloud laughed. "You sound wicked nervous, Reno. You okay?"

"I'm fine, yo," Reno retorted. "I've just…never been on the bottom before. I don't know what to expect."

"I expect you'll like it," Cloud quipped, grinning. He quickly located the lube, and opened the cap, squirting some on his fingers, and applying it gingerly to Reno's tight ass. He moaned as Cloud inserted one finger, then another. "Fuck, Cloud," groaned Reno. "Hurry up, yo, or I'll come before my time," he chuckled.

Cloud giggled, and slicked the head of his cock with additional lube. _I hope I know what I'm doing,_ he thought_. I mean…I feel like I know what I'm supposed to do…_

Reno noticed Cloud's slight hesitation. "Hey," he said softly. "Don't worry. We can go slow. Remember, it wasn't that long ago that I wasn't too sure of what I was doing either."

Hearing Reno say that relieved Cloud somewhat. _Thank you_, he mouthed to Reno, as he leaned in to kiss him. Cloud placed the crown of his penis up against Reno, easing it into the tight hole gingerly, then, once his length was fully in, began thrusting, slowly at first, then increasing his speed and tempo . Reno groaned, arching his back up from the bed, wrapping his long and lean legs around Cloud, urging him to go deeper, faster.

_**and I wonder  
if everything could ever feel this real forever**_

Gripping Reno by the shoulders, Cloud did as Reno requested, pummeling into him mercilessly. Reno threw his head back in ecstasy, fingernails raking up Cloud's ass, all the way up his backside. "Holy fucking Gaia," Reno cursed, panting. "I don't know what…you were so worried about, Cloud. I'm feeling pretty good, yo," he gasped.

Cloud grinned, but didn't cease or let up once. He hammered into Reno even harder, the constricting ring of muscle teasing Cloud's cock, making it even harder for him to put off his release any longer.

"I think I'm gonna come," Cloud panted heavily. "Gaia—"

Reno felt a soft _whoosh_ of air, and something wet, like a fine mist or drizzle, hit his eyes - which had been closed momentarily. Opening them—he saw red. _Blood?_ he mused. Looking up at Cloud, he saw that both of his lover's wings had emerged, and were fully extended. A flurry of soft down fell from Cloud, landing on Reno's face, tickling it.

"Oh, Gaia, Cloud," gasped Reno. "You are just…too beautiful…"

Cloud smiled at Reno. "I guess these come out at the least opportune moments," he muttered. "Sorry about that. Now...where were we?"

"You were fucking me into oblivion," Reno reminded him, grinning.

"Oh yeah," Cloud giggled. "How could I forget?" He resumed thrusting in and out of Reno, who noticed the curious movement Cloud's wings were making—with each thrust, Cloud's wings would swoop in a backwards arc, as if they were trying to achieve liftoff.

"Cloud," Reno pleaded. "Can you…go faster? Please," he begged. "I want you to fuck me hard and fast, baby."

"Okay," said Cloud, gasping, making every effort not to break his concentration. "Faster it is," he panted. He increased the speed and force of his thrusts, causing Reno to cry out and claw at the bed sheets. Suddenly, Reno felt movement. Cloud was still on top of him –still _in_ him, fucking him senseless—when Reno noticed that his legs were dangling in mid-air. They had taken flight, and were actually levitating over the bed.

"Holy shit, Cloud," Reno exclaimed. "We're…we're in the air, yo," he yelled.

Cloud looked around him blankly_. In the air?_ he wondered. Looking down at Reno, he noticed a good three feet between Reno—and the bed. "Oh my gods, Reno!" Cloud exclaimed, moving his wings forward, in order to bring Reno back down. "I didn't even realize I was doing it!"

"No, don't stop now, Cloud," Reno begged. "Do it again. Please, just do it again. This has got to be the most erotic fucking thing I have ever experienced in my life."

Shrugging his shoulders, and grinning at Reno, Cloud swept his wings back again, in great arcs, lifting them off of the bed. He resumed his furious thrusting into Reno, who was digging his nails into Cloud's ass in order to gain leverage. Reno gasped as he felt Cloud driving into him, while gravity kept pulling his dangling limbs downward. "Cloud," Reno begged, gasping. "Against the wall. Let's do it against the wall….hell, let's do it against the fucking _ceiling_….this is…incredible…"

Cloud looks at Reno curiously, smiling; then, shrugging his shoulders, decided to try what Reno had suggested. Still inside his lover, Cloud wrapped his arms around Reno's back, and forcefully swept his wings downward, as he flew toward the wall. He braced Reno against the wall, causing the Turk to bump his head slightly against the ceiling. "Sorry about that," Cloud apologized, smiling. "I keep forgetting how much taller you are than me…and it's not like I've done _this_ before, you know."

"No," Reno replied, laughing softly. "Neither have I. Oh Cloud," he murmured, moaning as Cloud resumed his thrusting into Reno. "I love you."

"I…know," Cloud said, panting. "Love you too." He moved backwards and flapped his wings even more forcefully, pulling Reno with him; now Reno was on top of him, his back pressed to the ceiling, while Cloud was beneath him. Reno's red hair hung down, brushing against Cloud's face, as Cloud continued the effort of pumping into Reno, while flapping his wings to keep the both of them from falling. Reno groaned and wrapped his legs even more tightly around Cloud's hips, in response to his forceful thrusts.

The Turk looked down, noting how surreal it felt to be suspended eight feet above the floor, looking at the carpeting below them_. I wonder if this is what an out-of-body experience feels like_, he mused. Reno then turned his attention back to Cloud, lovingly studying his face, as he gently stroked his cheek. Cloud was starting to look a bit tired from his efforts, and Reno realized that with Cloud hovering like that, he was probably going to tire himself out fairly quickly.

Reno dug his nails into Cloud's backside again, murmuring words of encouragement. "Come for me, Cloud. Come for me. I'm almost there myself…" Reno urged.

Cloud groaned as he felt the blunt fingernails lightly graze and tear the flesh. "Yes, Reno," he hissed. "Keep doing that, hold onto me baby…I think I'm gonna come now."

Reno's right hand moved quickly to his hard cock, and began stroking it at a feverish pace. "Oh gods, Cloud," Reno cried, as he felt himself approaching that point. "I love you…" His voice broke as he came all over his hand and stomach. Cloud was beginning to tense up as well, he was also about to reach that same point of no return. Clutching Reno tightly to his chest, Cloud sped up his pace until he finally achieved that sweet release. "Renooo…" Cloud hissed, as he thrust deeply one last time, arching his back upward, as his wings swept back, keeping the two lovers still hovering over the bed.

"Holy Ifrit," Cloud cried, as he felt himself go slack. "I'm…gonna set us down now," Cloud mumbled, as he slowed the action of his wings, bringing himself and Reno back to rest on the bed.

They both lay there quietly for a few moments, completely spent, and feeling slightly stunned. It was Reno who first broke the silence. "Wow, Cloud," he sighed. "That was…fucking unreal."

"Yeah," agreed Cloud, staring blankly at the ceiling fan, studying the rotating blades. He smiled as he felt Reno nestle into his side, draping an arm over his chest. Cloud wrapped an arm around the snuggling Turk, pulling him in tightly, and sighed contentedly.

"I'm starting to like these wings," Cloud chuckled. "A lot."

* * *

Sephiroth was racing on foot through the forest, running so quickly that his surroundings became a hurried blur. _Genesis, where are you? _The silver haired general was becoming frantic; he had never seen Genesis simply bolt like that, after one of their arguments; although Sephiroth knew full well, that this was no 'ordinary' spat between the two. Certainly his younger lover was more emotional than the older, stoic Sephiroth, but this was something altogether different_. It feels like…he's never coming back_, Sephiroth thought sadly_. I must make this right…if I can. I don't know how I can explain what happened in the cave…when I don't understand half of it myself._

As Sephiroth bounded over a rotted out log that was blocking his path, he caught a glimpse of a figure in red and black, flashing through a thicket of trees up ahead. _Genesis_.

"Genesis!" he called, pleading. "Please! We need to speak!" Sephiroth ran as fast as his long limbs could carry him, to the dense patch of trees where he had seen the flash of red and black.

Sephiroth was running so fast, he nearly passed by Genesis, who was sitting on the ground now, his back pressed up against an old hickory tree. He was staring straight ahead, and didn't look up to acknowledge Sephiroth as he dashed by.

Seeing Genesis out of the corner of his eye, Sephiroth quickly doubled back, and got down on his knees, facing Genesis.

"Genesis, please," began Sephiroth. "We need to talk."

"Yes," sighed Genesis, regarding his lover sadly. "I suppose we do."

"Thank you," murmured Sephiroth. "For at least agreeing to listen to me."

Genesis shot Sephiroth a look. "Don't get your hopes up too loftily," he warned. "I'd hate to see them dashed," Genesis said bitterly.

_Don't be like that, Gen_, Sephiroth thought. He didn't want to push things, however, and simply shrugged, not saying a word.

Leaning back against the tree, Genesis sighed. "I suppose I shall begin, by telling you how I came to be in the cave when you….raped Cloud. I saw _everything_, Sephiroth," he said softly, his eyes beginning to water. "Anyway," Genesis continued, clearing his throat, "I've already told you a bit, about how I was able to reanimate you using the Goddess materia. What you haven't seemed to grasp yet, is how _long_ it took. This, I cannot explain…you were in stasis, in your Mako cocoon, after Cloud killed you, post-Meteorfall."

"Yes," Sephiroth said, frowning. "I remember…that. I remember dying."

Genesis's hand shot out, caressing Sephiroth's cheek. He grasped a strand of the general's silver hair, and stroked it lovingly. "I wanted to kill Cloud myself," Genesis said bitterly. "My life…meant nothing, without you in it."

"No, Genesis," whispered Sephiroth. "The thought of you not existing…it's too much for me to bear. Don't speak like that. Tell me more," he pleaded. "About the reanimation."

"Well," Genesis continued, "After you were killed, I summoned Phoenix to try and revive you, then I blasted you with FullCure, which enabled me to restore your pulse. But, you were still in a coma. Your…life force, your essence, was no longer there. So I created a cocoon, out of Mako, in order to sustain you…while I searched for the Goddess materia. I just _knew_ it existed, despite the belief that it was merely a myth…"

"And you were right, Gen," Sephiroth interrupted. "You were so right. Forgive me for interrupting, please…go on…"

Genesis smiled slightly. "You do like to cut in, don't you," he remarked. "Anyway. My search for the Goddess materia was a long and tedious one. It took me nearly seven months to obtain it…that's a long story in itself; maybe I'll tell that tale some other time."

"As I said, I obtained the materia," Genesis continued, "and of course, brought it back immediately to the Northern Crater. I passed it to you, through the crystallized Mako, and your eyes opened right away. Full of green fire once again. My heart leapt at the sight –you were back! Or so I thought. As quickly as that fire appeared, it disappeared, and your eyes closed once again. I was distraught…thought the materia had failed...I was convinced it had not worked, after seeing the light leave your eyes once again like that. I left the Northern Crater and thought about killing myself…" Genesis's voice faltered as he choked back a sob.

"Oh, Genesis," Sephiroth murmured sadly, twining his fingers through Genesis's russet hair. "How I hate that you even considered suicide…I cannot bear to think on it…"

"I did consider it," admitted Genesis. "But something made me hold back. Something told me…to return to the crater, to you. And so I did. The following day, I made my way back there. You appeared differently. There was a bit of color to your face, and your eyes – they would flutter open, then shut again – your eyes had a green spark once again. I placed my hands on the Mako cocoon, and that's when I felt it. I felt your energy, within…you were still in there, but healing, ever so slowly."

"I had hope once again," Genesis went on, smiling. "But your reanimation was a slow process. I lived in that cave for five months, monitoring you every day. Each day you seemed to grow stronger…I longed for the day when you'd have strength enough to break from your Mako prison. And then one day you did…except I was not the first to see it. Cloud was," Genesis spat, bitterly.

Sephiroth frowned. "And then," he sighed, "you saw…everything that transpired from there. Genesis, I have no idea how that began, honestly. All I remember was…a buzzing in my head…and then seeing Cloud, feeling I needed to claim him, destroy him. It overrode every other thought in my head."

Rubbing his eyes, Genesis leaned forward, digesting this information. "Seph," he ventured. "Do you think…it was Jenova?"

"Possibly," Sephiroth replied. "The thought has certainly crossed my mind. Right now? I have no such…thoughts about Cloud, other than hatred. Of course I hate the man – his only goal in life has been to kill me, which he's done. And his damned Turk lover," Sephiroth continued bitterly, "tried to do the same."

"I don't know what it is, Genesis," admitted Sephiroth. "I know it's not much of an excuse, but…I don't quite remember what drove me to rape Cloud. Oh, I want revenge on him, surely—but not in this way. I just can't…control myself around him, and I don't know why. Forgive me, Genesis. Please," he begged.

Genesis let out a deep exhalation. "I forgive you, my love. I believe you…and given what you just told me, I believe more than ever, that Jenova was controlling you. She's done so before," Genesis concluded bitterly.

"Thank you, Gen," whispered Sephiroth. "I don't deserve you, or your forgiveness…but I am grateful to have both." Cupping Genesis's chin, Sephiroth leaned in to kiss him tenderly. "I love you, and only you," he assured Genesis.

"I love you, Seph," replied Genesis, smiling. "I'm sorry I ran like that," he apologized, sheepishly. "I was just…upset."

"Clearly," Sephiroth said, smiling. "But I'm glad you gave me a chance, to hear me out. One more thing, though. How is it that...I survived Reno's vicious attack?" He winced, recalling the exquisite pain the Turk had inflicted upon him, with his EMR.

"Well," Genesis said, smiling, "that's a mark of being touched by the Goddess materia. Legend has it that the Goddess materia can bring back the dead...and also render them truly immortal."

"Very interesting, that," Sephiroth murmured. _Is it true? Am I really...immortal now? _Sephiroth felt at ease once again. He had cleared the air with Genesis, and felt oddly calm now. "What shall we do now, I wonder?" he inquired of Genesis.

Setting his jaw, Genesis glared past Sephiroth, gazing into the horizon. "First, we shall set up a base in the Forgotten City, while we formulate a plan."

"A plan," Genesis continued, "…to kill Cloud and Reno, once and for all."

* * *

**A/N: I hope everyone liked the levitating sex lemon, I had a LOT of fun writing that one! ^_^ **

**That was inspired in part, by Dracula 2000 – a truly DREADFUL movie, but it's got Gerard Butler in it, so of course I own it. Heh. There's one scene in that movie where Dracula's having levitating sex with some chick, and they actually end up doing it on the ceiling. Hopefully my lemon here is better than the acting in that movie! :)**

**Revision notes – Originally, I only had them sexing it up while levitating over the bed. I watched the Drac movie once again (and it's still fucking horrid, gah!), and decided to go all out and have Reno and Cloud screw against the ceiling. Hope y'all enjoy the new bits. XD**

**Hopefully Tseng's explanation of Project C wasn't too dry - I tried to make it not-so-boring, but there were times when writing, I kept picturing Tseng going, "Bueller...Bueller...Bueller." XD**

**And poor Genesis. Really, I didn't MEAN to make him practically premenstrual, but he was just very...sensitive, I guess. ^_^**


	16. Ocean

**Finally, another chapter, which almost didn't see the light of day – my laptop nearly DIED last weekend, and I had to wipe everything and reinstall the OS. I really thought I was going to lose everything that hadn't been backed up to an external drive - including most of this chapter – but, by some miracle, I was able to recover all my data. It's probably a good thing I work in IT, but for a while I was quite nervous about the possibility that I might have lost a ton of my writing, which would have sucked HARD.**

**Songs quoted within: "Hoodoo" , by Muse; "Just Like Heaven", by The Cure. As always, I do not own song lyrics, they are quoted here only to set the mood. Nor do I own Final Fantasy, Square Enix has that honor.**

**Warnings for this chapter: language, yaoi, lemon, drug use.**

**Please read, review, and enjoy! XD**

**

* * *

**

Back at Seventh Heaven, Tifa was behind the bar, mixing up drinks, when she noticed Tseng and Vincent descending the stairs. Both men looked exhausted, and Vincent's expression was even more grim than his usual emotionless countenance.

Sighing, Tifa sidled over to the pair, cornering them. "Look," she began. "I know it's something bad…so, out with it," she demanded, one hand on her hip as she tucked an order pad back into her apron. "Let me get one of the girls to cover the bar for a few minutes, and I'll meet you two downstairs. You _will_ tell me everything." Turning angrily on her heel, Tifa sauntered over to her other bartender, instructing her to mind the bar for a few minutes.

"Right," said Tifa, addressing Tseng and Vincent, who were both still standing there, staring blankly. "Let's head downstairs." She waved them over to a side door that led down to the basement. "You go in this way now," she informed them. "I've changed the entry way." Silently, Tseng and Vincent dutifully followed Tifa down the back stairs, into to the former basement hideout of AVALANCHE.

Barret, Nanaki, and Yuffie were sitting in the corner near a pool table, with Barret glowering at the two men who had just entered. "What's going on?" he barked at Tseng. "There's something you ain't tellin' us! I been askin' these guys here," Barret jerked his head to the side, indicating Rude and Elena, "and they ain't talkin'."

Standing up, Barret walked over to Tseng, and stared down at him. The former mercenary towered a good foot and a half over Tseng, and looked like he could break the man like a twig if he so desired. "I ain't askin' ya, Tseng, I'm tellin' ya," Barret demanded, squinting at Tseng, and pointing his gun-arm toward the ceiling. "You tell us what you're holding back, or so help me—"

"Barret, please," Tseng protested, cutting him off. "There's no need to resort to threats. I just wanted to get Vincent's input on this first…he is a former Turk after all."

"Yeah," sniffed Barret. "And I don't always trust him, neither." Barret skulked back to the corner, and took his seat once again, glowering at everyone. Meanwhile, Tifa was glaring daggers at Rude, who was painfully aware of just how angry she was. _Shit_, thought Rude. _I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do._

"Tifa," Rude called to her, as he approached her side. _Gods_, she's pissed_. I don't blame her…but she knows I have to follow Tseng's orders… _

"Don't even bother," she snapped at him, turning away in a huff. Stomping over to the opposite side of the room, she threw herself into one of the overstuffed chairs near the television set. _I know, I'm probably acting childish…but I really don't give a damn at this point_, Tifa thought angrily.

Nanaki and Yuffie remained silent, although Yuffie was giving Vincent several pointed looks. _What the hell is going on?_ she wondered. _I don't like this one bit, being left out of the loop._

"Look, everyone," Tseng began. "I'm terribly sorry about not getting everyone together, and letting you in on this…latest development. There's something we need to tell Cloud, and I'd like to do this soon. Now, I've been thinking about it, and…I'm honestly torn, on how to break this to him, which is why I consulted with Vincent. It's something that will upset Cloud, surely; but, is it fair to tell everyone here this news, before we tell Cloud? And first of all, of course, I have to tell him – and Reno – that Sephiroth is back. That's what I'm wrestling with. "

Tifa stared at Vincent, and said softly, "It must be something…pretty bad, if you're having so much trouble with this, Tseng. "

Clearing his throat, Vincent stood up and addressed the group. "It's something…that may upset Cloud initially. Honestly, who knows how he may react. He didn't react well to hearing about Sephiroth's return before, seeing as he just ran off, without a word."

"Yeah, you don't have to tell _me_ how awful that was, Vincent. I was there when he left," Tifa replied sadly.

Nanaki stared coldly at Vincent, trying to communicate telepathically with him_. Cetra?_

Vincent did a double take at this, and quickly glanced at Nanaki. _Yes. One quarter Cetra. _Nanaki nodded in acknowledgement, and looked away. He didn't want to clue the others in, that he and Vincent were communicating with each other nonverbally, and on the sly.

_And Cloud's mother? Who..was she? _inquired Nanaki.

_She was Ifalna's half- sister_, answered Vincent. _Making Cloud and Aerith …cousins._

_My gods_, thought Nanaki_. And none of us ever knew…I guess we can assume Aerith never knew, either, that she had a cousin who was also part Cetra?_

_No_, thought Vincent, frowning. _Aerith never knew._

Barret scowled at Tseng. "Look," he began, "I know as well as y'all, Cloud can be a right pain in the ass," he grumbled. "But, I don't see any point in pussyfooting around. Either tell us, or don't. I don't care. But fact is, we do need to tell Cloud and Reno at some point…that Genesis has been helping Sephiroth all along, and that the dude is _still_ _alive_."

"Yeah," agreed Yuffie. "Guys, this is freaking ridiculous. Let's just _go_ to Costa del Sol, and tell Reno and Cloud what's going on!"

Rude gave a small cough. "Well, that's the other thing," he began. "They're still on vacation. I really do not want to bust up that happy party," he muttered.

"Amazingly, I actually agree with Rude about that," Tifa cut in, glancing briefly at him, with a half- smile. "Let's give them some more time, please? Just…another week. Do we honestly think Sephiroth will pull something just yet? Tseng, you were saying he's not…fully regenerated or whatever, right?"

"Well," replied Tseng, "according to the intelligence we've gathered from the operatives I've posted outside of the Forgotten City, Sephiroth is not at a hundred percent, yet. But who knows how long it'll take…this is the first time we've ever seen the Goddess materia in play. I still can't believe Genesis was able to find it…" Tseng muttered.

"And," added Vincent, "you can be sure that Sephiroth and Genesis are plotting something. More than likely, Sephiroth will want to finish what he started, and kill Cloud."

"Do you really think that was his goal, Vincent?" Tifa asked, in a low voice. "If he wanted to kill Cloud…why didn't he try to do so right away? Why put him through…that?" Tifa's voice broke as she recalled Sephiroth's rape of Cloud.

"Trying to read the mind of a madman," Vincent said darkly, "is an exercise in futility. There's no knowing what Sephiroth's motives were, in doing what he did."

"Well," broke in Barret, "then let's plan to head up there in a week or so. For now, what are we gonna do?"

"For now," replied Tseng wearily, "we send our operatives further into the Forgotten City, gather more intelligence, and….formulate a plan."

* * *

"Fools!" roared Sephiroth. He and Genesis had ventured deep into the bowels of the Forgotten City, establishing a hideout in an long abandoned, former Cetra home, while Sephiroth gained his strength back.– and, for Genesis to further strategize, and plan their next move. Tseng's operatives had recently been discovered by Genesis as he was scouting the area near the Sleeping Forest. Needless to say, Sephiroth was irate, although not really surprised, that the leader of the Turks was having him tailed.

"They are fools, Genesis," Sephiroth hissed. "Once I am fully recovered, I will be immortal! No army, no matter the size, will be any match for me!"

"I agree with you Seph," Genesis began hesitantly, casting a worried glance at the silver haired general. He was starting to become concerned with Sephiroth's delusions of grandeur. _Should never have used the word 'immortal' with him_, thought Genesis. _Now he's going…mad with power. Yet again…_

"But," cautioned Genesis, "we don't really know the true power of the Goddess materia yet, in regards to immortality."

"Nonsense," scoffed Sephiroth. "The legend states that the Goddess materia would restore a soul to life. Which it did, with me."

"Yes," Genesis agreed slowly. "But Seph—"

"No buts, Gen," Sephiroth said, cutting him off. "I…appreciate your concern, my love, I do," he said as he cupped Genesis's chin, kissing him almost chastely on the forehead.

"Sephiroth, you know I just worry. From a military standpoint, it's wise not to overlook any possible outcomes," Genesis argued.

"Wise words," agreed Sephiroth. "However, I've now cheated death three times, Gen. _Three_ _times_. Clearly, I am meant for greater things…or would you not think so?" Sephiroth demanded, peering curiously at Genesis, awaiting his reaction.

Genesis sighed inwardly_. Here it goes again_, he thought_. Thinking he's invincible…_

"Sephiroth, know that I'm not trying to strike fear into you – as if I could even do that," Genesis laughed lightly. "I just…prefer to err on the side of caution. I've nearly lost you three times already, why chance a fourth—"

_**Come on into my life  
Regress into a dream  
We will hide  
Build a new reality**_

"Genesis," Sephiroth interrupted once again. "Are you even suggesting that I back down from my enemies? Like some sort of coward?" he huffed.

"No, Seph, never," replied Genesis, shaking his head 'no' emphatically. "I wouldn't dream of suggesting that you stand down from battle. I just think that perhaps…I should be the one to strike them down, I know can do it. For you. I want to protect you from…those bastards, Seph."

_**Watch our souls fade away  
And our bodies crumble in  
Don't be afraid  
I will take the blow for you**_

"And you've done an admirable job of that, Gen," Sephiroth murmured, drawing Genesis toward him in an embrace. He kissed the top of Genesis's russet head tenderly. "Not to mention, resurrecting me from the dead. How can I ever repay you?"

Genesis absently wound a handful of Sephiroth's silver hair around his fingers, pausing a moment to think. "It's not necessary to repay me," Genesis purred, kissing the handful of Sephiroth's silken hair that he was clutching. "I love you, Seph. And, I promise that I won't exclude you from anything I plan, Sephiroth. You long for revenge as much as I do, and I understand. Believe me, I do understand," he continued, bitterly.

He reached out toward Sephiroth's face, his long, graceful fingers tracing along the silver general's jawbone. "Firstly, we will dispatch these operatives that bloody Tseng has sent out here to follow us," Genesis began. "Should be easy. They don't know I spotted them earlier, so we may take them by surprise without issue."

"Consider it as good as done, Gen," Sephiroth agreed, narrowing his eyes, already reaching behind him for his masamune. "And then, what will be our next step? I leave it to you to strategize, Gen – you always had the best mind for it," he said, praising Genesis.

"Then, we will launch an attack on Cloud and Reno. I don't think luring them will work again – so we'll have to strike quickly, and with no warning. I've not been able to track them down, yet," Genesis complained. "I suspect they've been hidden away somewhere, but worry not – I _will_ find them."

"_We_ will find them, Genesis," Sephiroth corrected him. "And, then we will kill them. Along with every single one of their friends. Only then, will I truly feel peace at last," he finished, embracing Genesis with his right arm, while tightening his grip on the masamune with his left hand.

"We will do this, Genesis, you and I," murmured Sephiroth. "Then…I want to give you the same gift that you gave to me, Genesis…the gift of immortality."

Genesis froze, and shuddered inwardly. _Gods, if that is even possible_, he puzzled - _do I even want that? _

Rather than voice any protest aloud, Genesis nodded in agreement, almost as if to appease Sephiroth. "Yes," he whispered. "Forever…you and I…together forever." He tightened his arms around Sephiroth's waist.

* * *

Reno and Cloud quickly made themselves at home at Rufus's sprawling villa over the following two weeks. They began most of their days down by the beach; Cloud, being an early riser, had gotten into the habit of arising and heading out before Reno was awake, to go for an early morning run along the shoreline. Reno, who wanted no part of this, slept in, barely noticing when Cloud would sneak out. Finally one morning, Cloud decided to ask Reno to join him. This suggestion was met with much resistance.

"I'm not a runner, yo," protested Reno, lighting up a cigarette. He was still sprawled across the bed, unwilling to move much, beyond the effort he had extended to search for his smokes. "I only run when Tseng makes me, for drills and shit. I'll go with you, but I'm not running, I'm going to walk, and maybe lay under an umbrella, while I watch _you_ run your cute little ass off. Cloud, I'm glad you found something you enjoy doing, but…dude, we're on vacation, can't we just relax?"

"We can take a nap later, after we're done. Come on, Reno, please?" pleaded Cloud. "It just takes a few times, I think, before you find you really enjoy it."

"Nope," Reno replied stubbornly. "Not interested. Running is not FUN. Sex on the beach, now that's fun," he chuckled.

Cloud smiled at Reno's remark, and decided to try another tactic. "That might be…itchy. But we could…go skinny dipping after we run," he suggested coyly.

"Let me get my shoes on, yo," Reno replied immediately, bounding out of the bed. Cloud laughed, as he watched Reno, completely unclothed, trip over a pile of discarded clothing. "Shit," Reno muttered, nearly losing the cigarette that was dangling precariously from his lips. "That ain't funny, Cloud," he retorted. "I could have lost my ciggie."

"Yeah, we can't have that happening," Cloud smiled, rolling his eyes. "Um, you may want to throw on some shorts, Reno? Just a thought."

"What for?" Reno replied slyly. "You're just going to rip them off after, right Cloud? Besides, it's a private beach."

"Yeah," Cloud grinned. "But…we'll be jogging in public. The beach isn't complete uninhabited, Reno. It's not like it's a deserted island!"

"Hmm," muttered Reno. "I bet you anything Rufus owns a fucking private island, too. Dude owns half of Gaia as it is."

"All right, Cloud," Reno said as he pulled on a pair of shorts and a shirt, and began lacing up his shoes. "We'll do this your way. But later, I get to pick something I want to do."

"Oh gods," groaned Cloud. "That could be…well, anything. Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

"Quit bitching," Reno retorted, as he pushed Cloud out the door. "You wanted to do this, let's get our asses going."

The beach boardwalk was directly parallel from Rufus's estate, and Cloud sprinted toward it, dodging a hot dog cart that he nearly ran into, as he looked behind him to see where Reno was. The redheaded Turk had paused, as he lit up another cigarette. Pocketing his lighter, Reno ran toward Cloud. "I'm ready now," he said, taking a drag off of the lit cigarette.

Rolling his eyes, Cloud laughed. "You are unbelievable, Reno. Smoking while jogging?"

"Yeah, why not," smirked Reno, as the pair began running down toward the beach. "If I was thinking clearly, I would have grabbed some coffee to bring with me, too."

The ocean was at low tide, as the two ran along the wet sand, Reno stopping every ten minutes as he was out of breath. "Slow down, Cloud," he puffed. "This isn't a race, yo."

Cloud smiled. "I'm thinking the smoking while running isn't working for you, Reno," he giggled.

"Hey!" Reno retorted. "I haven't lit another one since a mile ago, just so you know."

Reno kicked off his shoes, pulled his shirt over his head, and left everything in a pile by the water's edge. He walked in toward the water, and shouted back to Cloud. "I'm going go in and cool off, yo," Reno said, "I'm feeling wicked hot now."

"So am I," murmured Cloud, as he observed a shirtless Reno duck beneath the waves. As Cloud stood there, squinting a bit as the early morning sun momentarily blinded him, a damp-looking blue object came flying out of nowhere and hit Cloud wetly in the face. "What the-" he protested, and picked the item up off of the ground where it had fallen. It was Reno's running shorts, saturated with salt water.

Watching Cloud from the water, Reno began laughing hysterically, clutching his sides as he observed the confused expression wash over Cloud. "Oh Gaia," he gasped. "I want to do that again, just to see the look on your face—"

Reno never finished the sentence, because Cloud charged into the water, fully clothed, and tackled him, sending a stream of salt water shooting up his nose. "Hey! _Hey_!" Reno protested, choking on water and trying to regain his balance as the waves kept knocking him over. He grabbed the hem of Cloud's shirt and tugged it down, causing Cloud to trip and go headfirst into the water.

"What the hell, Reno!" Cloud spluttered as he came up for air, gagging and spitting out mouthfuls of salt water. "That wasn't fair!"

"Oh, but tackling me unprovoked in the surf is fair, is it?" Reno replied mockingly, laughing.

"It wasn't unprovoked, you threw your shorts in my face," Cloud muttered. He blushed, suddenly seeming to realize that Reno was completely naked in the waist high water, waves crashing against his lean torso. Reno grinned wolfishly at Cloud. "Yeah, so?" he retorted playfully. "You were asking for it."

"How?" Cloud inquired innocently. "What'd I do to deserve that?"

"You made me run, yo," Reno complained. "I told you I don't like to run."

"Okay, okay," Cloud conceded, chuckling. "You made your point. I won't make you do it again. What do _you_ want to do now, Reno?" he asked pleasantly.

"Make sweet, sweet love to you," purred Reno, as he pulled Cloud toward him, his cold lips grazing over Cloud's neck. The effect was like a electrical current dancing over on Cloud's hot flesh. "Reno," he groaned. "I'm…I'm…" he stuttered, unable to speak coherently, as Reno's warm tongue sought the curvature of Cloud's neck, licking and sucking as the waves continued to crash against their bodies.

"Oh gods," groaned Reno. "We…have a problem." Cloud glanced up at the redheaded Turk, with a look of mild concern. "What's wrong, Reno?"

"Um…shrinkage," Reno grumbled. "This water's not exactly warm first thing in the morning, you know."

Cloud stifled a giggle. "Hmm, I can't say as I'm having that problem right now," glancing down at the noticeable bulge in his shorts, none of which was left to the imagination, as Cloud's shorts were saturated and clinging to him like a second skin.

"Holy shit, yo," Reno replied appreciatively, smirking as he glanced down at Cloud's raging hard-on. "Um, let's go back to the villa, then. Time to christen that bathtub, I think." Cloud smiled, nodding in agreement, and the two began wading out of the surf, back toward the shore.

"Reno?" Cloud began questioningly, his eyes searching the area in which they'd been standing. "Where are your shorts?"

"Oh shit!" Reno shouted, running over to where Cloud had dropped the garment that had been thrown at him. "Are you fucking kidding me? I think the tide took them away! Dammit! Where's my shit? My shoes are gone too!"

Cloud couldn't help it; clutching his sides, he began laughing hysterically. "Oh gods…I can't…take it…anymore," he gasped, unable to stop laughing.

"Nice, Cloud," retorted Reno, trying to cover his naked crotch with his hands, as he now lacked his shorts. "Don't be an ass!"

"I'm sorry, I just…you….you're the idiot that took all your clothes off, and THREW them at me! In the middle of the damned _ocean_!" Cloud doubled over laughing again. His face had, by now, turned pink, and his eyes were tearing up.

"I guess that was kind of shortsighted of me," Reno laughed. "Cloud? Dude, are you okay?" he asked, as he heard Cloud gasping for breath.

"No," Cloud giggled. "I may never be the same again. Oh, here…take this." Cloud paused and took his own shirt off, still wet with salt water, clumps of sand sticking to it here and there. "You can…cover yourself with this, until we get back home."

"Great," replied Reno sarcastically, gingerly taking the wet garment from Cloud. "It's all sandy and shit. I'll have sand sticking to all of my bits," he complained.

"Well, what do you want to do?" retorted Cloud. "Run naked through the streets?"

Reno gave Cloud a strange look, and threw the shirt back at him. "Yep," he replied, as he threw Cloud's wet shirt back at him, smirking. Before Cloud knew what was going on, Reno had taken off like a jackrabbit, sprinting up onto the boardwalk, much to the horrified stares of passersby, as he ran past them in all his naked glory.

Cloud broke into a fast sprint to try and keep up with Reno. He soon caught up with the Turk as they approached the street where Rufus's villa was. "Reno!" shouted Cloud. "You'll get…arrested or something!"

"For what?" scoffed Reno, slowing down his pace. "There _is_ a nude beach here, yo. Or didn't you know that?"

"I didn't know that," replied Cloud. "But you're not ON that particular beach right now, are you?"

"Oh. That," laughed Reno. "I suppose not. Um…Cloud?"

"Yeah?" answered Cloud, glancing sideways at the still-naked Reno.

"I'll…take that shirt back from you, yo," Reno replied reluctantly. "Don't want to give Miss Sally - or the rest of Rufus's staff, for that matter - a fucking heart attack."

Laughing, Cloud handed the damp garment back to Reno, who tied it carefully around his waist, grimacing as he did so, as the cold, sand-covered shirt brushed his most sensitive areas. As they approached the villa, Cloud fumbled around the pocket of his shorts, trying to find the keycard to Rufus's villa. "Shit," Cloud muttered distractedly, "where the hell is it? Oh…here it is," he said as he finally located it. He waved it in front of the sensor, and opened the door after hearing the telltale clicking noise.

"Come on," Cloud urged Reno, grabbing him by the hand and practically dragging him down the hallway, back toward the master bedroom.

"Damn, Cloud," Reno giggled. "Are you…horny or something?"

"Maybe a little," Cloud grinned, as they entered the bedroom. Cloud hastily shut the door behind him, and locked it. Smirking at Reno, Cloud faced him with his hands on his shoulders, steering him toward the bed. "I think I have the cure for what ails you, Reno," he whispered, as he reached down and released the sandy, damp t-shirt from where it was tied around Reno's waist.

"Th - the cure for what, Cloud?" Reno stuttered, moaning as he felt Cloud's hot hands ghost over his pelvis, still cooled by his dip in the ocean. Reno was almost incredulous – and grateful - at this seeming shift in Cloud's attitude. Cloud was once again taking on the role of the aggressor; Reno figured it to be a sure sign that Cloud was well on his way to a full recovery.

"The cure," Cloud replied, smiling confidently, "for shrinkage." He pushed Reno back on the bed, and knelt in between his thighs. "It stands to reason," Cloud murmured, as his hot breath hit Reno's cock, causing the Turk to gyrate and groan, "that if you're feeling…well, cold, in that area…what you need is something warm…and wet…" Cloud grabbed Reno's cock with both hands, and rammed his open mouth down upon it, his tongue swirling slowly and deliberately around the shaft. Reno clawed the sheets with one hand, while his other free hand wandered down to Cloud's head, gently ruffling the blond spiked hair, as he felt Cloud's soft, warm mouth teasing the tip of his cock.

_**You  
Soft and only  
You  
Lost and lonely  
You  
Strange as angels  
Dancing in the deepest oceans  
Twisting in the water  
You're just like a dream**_

"Pull my hair, Reno," Cloud whispered. "I'm going to fuck you with my mouth, and I want you to…keep pulling my hair…until you want me to stop."

"You-want me to pull your hair? Seriously?" Reno inquired curiously.

"Yes," murmured Cloud, as he licked the length of Reno's shaft. "Pull it. _Hard_."

"Okay then," Reno replied leaning back into the bed, and burying both hands into Cloud's thick hair. Grasping handfuls of the blond spikes, Reno yanked, as requested, and Cloud hissed upon feeling the pain.

"Yeah," he groaned. "Like that, Reno." Cloud's open mouth descended on Reno's penis once again, attacking it with lips, tongue, and mouth. He deep-throated Reno, taking in the entire length into his throat as far as he could. Reno gasped, and pulled on Cloud's hair again, even harder this time. Cloud groaned loudly, the vibrations reverberating through Reno's erect member. "Oh, oh fuck, Cloud!" he exclaimed, pulling even harder on Cloud's hair in response.

He arched his hips up to meet Cloud's mouth; then, Cloud grabbed onto the sides of Reno's thighs for better leverage, and continued deep throating Reno at a furious pace. Reno felt as if a small explosion had just occurred inside his head, he saw tiny points of light going off behind his eyes, and started to feel a tingling sensation all over his body, as if he were about to black out.

"Holy fuck, Cloud," Reno whispered, gripping and clutching fistfuls the bedcovers in an almost desperate fashion. "I…I think I'm going to—"

"I know," Cloud murmured, around the mouthful of hard flesh. Cloud reached up again with both hands, taking Reno's cock in them, and began stroking it slowly and deliberately. He wanted to see how long he could make Reno ride this out until he finally came.

"Faster, Cloud, please…" Reno moaned. He was approaching blue-ball stage, and knew that if he didn't come soon, the results would be most painful.

"Reno," Cloud whispered, pausing in his ministrations, "I want you to finish…inside of me." Without waiting for an answer, Cloud hurriedly yanked off his shorts, tossing them to the floor, and then reached over to the bedside table for the lube, and began squirting a bit out onto his fingers and prepared himself, shoving a lube covered finger, then a second one, up into his tight passage, wincing slightly as he did so.

"Yeah," Reno breathed, nodding in agreement. He gazed up lovingly at Cloud, feeling as if he could drown in those Mako eyes of his. Cloud was now straddling him, and positioning himself over Reno's cock. "Ride me, Cloud. Fucking _ride_ me, baby," Reno moaned.

Inhaling sharply, Cloud slowly lowered himself down onto the throbbing flesh that awaited him, as Reno lifted his hips off of the bed to meet Cloud's downward motion, his hands wandering up Cloud's backside, stroking the smooth flesh in the small of his back.

Smirking, Reno shifted his hips, ramming upward into Cloud, causing the blond to moan and shift his weight forward, nearly falling on top of Reno. Placing his hands on Reno's shoulders to keep from pitching forward, Cloud rode Reno hard, grinding and rolling his hips, moving himself up and down the entire length of Reno's hard shaft. His right hand wandered down to his own cock, which was painfully erect, and needing his attentions; Cloud began stroking it forcefully and quickly, fucking his own hand, as he continued to ride on Reno.

"Fuck, Cloud, I'm going to come," groaned Reno. He dug his fingernails into Cloud's ass, thrusting upward forcefully as he did so, and finally came to his climax. "Oh gods, Cloud….I love you," Reno cried, shuddering as he came. "So much."

"I….love you…too, Reno," gasped Cloud, as he felt Reno's release filling him, sending him over the edge. Cloud quickened his strokes, and felt his balls contract as he rapidly came, a torrent of cum shooting upward, some of it hitting Reno in the mouth, catching the Turk quite by surprise.

"Damn, Cloud," laughed Reno, as he licked the residue off of his lips. "Gods, you are really something, you know," he told Cloud admiringly. "That was…amazing."

"Was I really that good?" Cloud asked modestly, blushing. He knew that Reno had certainly seemed like he was enjoying himself; but Cloud was, as yet, not used to receiving this sort of praise from any lover he'd ever had.

"Yeah," Reno sighed. "You _were_ that good, babe. In fact, that might have been the best—" Reno was interrupted by the ringing of a cell phone.

"Shit," muttered Reno, recognizing the ring tone. "That's my work phone," he explained to Cloud. "I set it up with a different ringtone so I'd recognize it …dammit, who the hell is calling me now? They have shit for timing, whoever it is," he muttered irritably

"Your work phone?" Cloud questioned, as Reno got up from the bed, searching the room for the still-ringing phone. "Why'd you bring it, Reno, if we're on vacation?"

"You know how it is," Reno remarked dryly. "A Turk is never truly off duty. Oh, found it," he said, as he located his cell phone. "I'd better take it, Cloud," he said apologetically, as he glanced at the caller ID screen. "It's Tseng." Reno sat down on the side of the bed, staring down at the floor_. I have a bad feeling about this,_ he thought grimly.

"No, go ahead, Reno," smiled Cloud. "I understand."

"Reno here," he barked into the phone. "What's going on, Tseng?"

A reluctant sigh came from the other end of the call. "Reno…I apologize for interrupting your vacation," Tseng said sheepishly.

"Tseng, you're the one who forced me to go on vacation," Reno retorted. "Not that I'm complaining," he added, smiling over at Cloud, who was reclining on the bed, looking quizzically at Reno as he talked to Tseng. "But you know, I've been suspicious from the start, Tseng – you don't just send people on vacation out of the kindness of your heart, do you?" Reno demanded.

"Once again, Reno," Tseng admitted, "Your instincts serve you right. There is…something developing now, so I'll just come out with it. When we sent you away, it was because we'd been receiving reports indicating that Sephiroth is still alive."

"No," Reno replied, stonily. "No! Fuck…no, it can't be," he said miserably, sinking down onto the bed. "How is that even fucking possible? I killed him, yo! You saw it! Why'd you keep this from me, Tseng?" Reno asked irritably. "That is not fucking cool with me, not by a long shot," he snapped.

"I knew you'd say that, and I understand why you're outraged. But here's the thing, Reno," Tseng interjected. "We weren't absolutely sure if this was merely conjecture, or if there was any truth behind it. So I gave the executive order to evacuate you and Cloud to Costa del Sol—"

"So," Reno interrupted bitterly, "you fucking lied to me, then."

"No, Reno," Tseng replied firmly. "I withheld information from you…information that could very well have proven to be false."

"Hmph," grunted Reno, frowning as he ran his hand distractedly through his untidy red mane. "I don't like this…at all. But go on. So tell me what our guys found out."

"Genesis and Sephiroth are deep within the Forgotten City", Tseng replied. "Apparently…Genesis found the Goddess materia, and discovered a way to use it to resurrect Sephiroth. Just as the legend goes."

"Oh gods, no," groaned Reno. "How…how in the blue _fuck_ was Genesis able to do that?" he demanded.

_Genesis_? Cloud wondered, his interest piqued upon hearing the name . _What on Gaia is going on?_ He sat up in the bed, straining to listen to the ongoing conversation.

Tseng sighed wearily. "I've no idea how Genesis was able to accomplish that. They've made a base in there, somewhere…near where Sephiroth killed Aerith. Our ShinRa and Turk operatives," he continued, " have not been able to pinpoint exactly where they've established their base. Reno," Tseng sighed. "Genesis…killed two Turks today, as they were reporting back from their recon mission."

"Fuck, _no_!" Reno shouted into the phone, his voice shaking. "Not…not Rude or Elena? Please tell me it wasn't them," Reno groaned. "_What the hell is going on_?" Cloud whispered irritably at Reno. Tseng was clearly upsetting Reno with whatever news he was delivering, and Cloud didn't like this one bit. Reno set his jaw, and waved his hand at Cloud, cautioning him to stay silent.

"No, Reno, no…it wasn't," Tseng replied, trying his best to sound reassuring. "It was neither Rude nor Elena. Our two rookies…Ripley and Jones…Genesis took them out."

"Shit," muttered Reno. "I'm sorry, Tseng. They were good Turks, even for rookies…shit. It shouldn't have happened."

"You're telling me," Tseng murmured dryly. "Now…listen to me, please. I hate to cut your vacation short, particularly seeing as I'm the one who 'forced' you to take a vacation, as you said yourself. However, I need to meet with both you…and Cloud. There's more information I've recently uncovered, and Cloud needs to know," Tseng concluded firmly.

"_Cloud_ needs to know?" Reno sputtered incredulously. "What…what is it that Cloud needs to know?" Reno felt Cloud sidle up beside him, his hand reaching out to take the phone from Reno. "Give me the phone, Reno," Cloud demanded, as Reno swatted him away. "Hold on, Cloud," Reno snapped. "Let me finish with Tseng first."

"Well, Tseng," Reno grumbled angrily, "you probably heard Cloud just now. He wants to know, as do I, just what the fuck's going on."

"I'm en route now, Reno, heading to the chopper as we speak," Tseng replied. "Rude's flying me out there. "Give us forty-five minutes or so. I'll fill you in when I get there, about everything."

"Okay, Tseng," Reno replied wearily. "I guess that'll have to do. Cloud and I will meet you here at the villa."

"Roger that," answered Tseng, as he got into the helicopter and shut the door. He gave a silent thumbs-up to Rude, who was in the pilot's seat. "Taking off now. See you later, Reno."

"Yeah, see you then, Tseng," Reno muttered. "Bye."

Disconnecting the call, Reno stood up suddenly from the bed, and growling, threw the cell phone furiously against the wall, where it shattered into pieces upon impact. Cloud raised an eyebrow at Reno. "Reno, please tell me what's going on," he pleaded, firing questions rapidly at Reno. "What is it that Tseng said I 'need to know?' What's happening? Did I hear you say something about Sephiroth?"

"Slow down, Cloud, please," begged Reno, sitting back down on the bed, and putting an arm around Cloud's shoulders. "Um…first of all, sorry about that," Reno said sheepishly, glancing over at the remains of his shattered cell phone.

"Forget about that," Cloud muttered. "Whatever Tseng told you, obviously it pissed you off. _Please_, Reno, I'm begging you…what exactly did Tseng tell you?"

Reno sighed, and hugged Cloud tightly into his side. "Baby," he began gently, "Sephiroth…is alive. Genesis was able to bring him back, apparently…he found the Goddess materia."

"So it _does_ exist…the Goddess materia does exist," Cloud whispered. Reno raised an eyebrow at this, and looked over at Cloud, trying to read his expression. "You…don't even sound surprised, Cloud," he said incredulously. "About… Sephiroth still being alive."

Frowning, Cloud puzzled for a moment. "No," he replied. "I suppose I'm not entirely surprised. He's come back before, more than once. Swear to Gaia," Cloud muttered dryly, "Sephiroth is like fucking herpes. He just keeps coming _back_, and there's no cure."

Reno sputtered laughing. "Gods, Cloud," he guffawed. "That's…not quite what I expected to hear you say. That was pretty fucking funny."

Cloud gave Reno a sideways smile. "Well…I'm not happy about this news, believe me," Cloud mumbled. "But…it is what it is. As much as I hate that expression," Cloud smirked, "it does fit. I mean, what can we do, Reno? The fucker just keeps coming back. What _can_ we do, really?"

"Well, for one thing," Reno said firmly, cupping Cloud's chin, and gazing directly into his eyes, "whatever we do, we do it together. You and I, we fight until the end. No solo flights this time," he smiled, kissing Cloud gently on the top of his head.

"No, Reno," Cloud countered softly, reaching his hand out and slowly tracing the outline of Reno's browbone with his fingers. "Not until the end. Until…the beginning of our life together, free from….all of this."

Reno nodded silently in understanding. "Free from Sephiroth, you mean," he murmured. "I know, Cloud. I want that as much as you do."

"We can defeat him again," Cloud replied confidently. "And for fucking _good_ this time. I think I need…to talk to Zack," he murmured absently.

"Zack?" Reno queried, sounding confused. "You mean Zack Fair? He's been…dead, for I don't know how long. What do you mean you can talk to Zack, Cloud?"

"I…can feel Zack, sometimes, Reno," Cloud stammered, trying to explain. "He's in the Lifestream. I can talk to Aerith, too. I thought everyone could do that, though, can't they?" Cloud asked Reno, appearing puzzled.

"Well, I definitely don't have that ability, Cloud," Reno laughed, still perplexed over Cloud's statement. "I've gotta say, though," he said seriously, "that's something unique right there." He frowned, as he mulled over what Cloud had just said, not able to make any sense of it.

"Huh," Cloud grunted. "I guess I just sort of thought…oh, never mind. Look…I need to relax. How long until Tseng gets here?"

"From now? Maybe half an hour," replied Reno. "Why?"

"Well, we have more than enough time for a bath in that jacuzzi," answered Cloud, smiling. "And," he murmured, rummaging through his duffel bag, "we might have enough time for a quick hit." Cloud grinned as he extricated the plastic bag full of pot from his duffel bag.

"Now you're talking!" exclaimed Reno, laughing. "I'll get our bath going. Set us up, and I'll meet you in the tub," he said, winking at Cloud and planting a quick kiss on his cheek. Reno ran into the bathroom, and quickly turned on the taps full blast. He located some bubble bath nearby, and added some to the water. "Smells all fruity," he mumbled, wrinkling his nose. "Typical of Rufus." Reno snickered

Grinning, Cloud unzipped the plastic bag, and carefully picked out a few pinches of pot, placing it in a rolling paper. He quickly and deftly rolled the joint, slicking the edge closed with his tongue; then, he repeated the process, making a second one for Reno. He carried them, along with his lighter, over to the steaming Jacuzzi, where Reno was already sitting in the heated water, waiting for Cloud.

"Um…thanks for waiting for me, Reno," chuckled Cloud. "Here – I don't want to get these wet, I'm going to put them on the side here until I get in." Placing the rolled joints onto a large tiled area behind the tub, Cloud lowered himself into the steaming bath, hissing as he did so. "Damn, this is hot, Reno," Cloud said, wincing as he kept lowering himself into the water.

"Yeah," Reno drawled lazily, his back leaning against the corner of the tub. "I like it hot, yo," he grinned.

"Mmm," murmured Cloud, smirking. "So do I." Grabbing his lighter, Cloud lit one joint, then the second, handing one over to Reno. "Thanks, babe," Reno said lethargically, sticking the joint in his mouth immediately to take a hit. "I still can't believe you smoke weed, Cloud," Reno chuckled. "And I never even knew!"

Cloud laughed, drawing on the joint and taking a hit, closing his eyes as he did so. "Well, it wasn't as if it was a huge secret," he smiled. "At least, I didn't think it was. Tifa didn't like it at first when I smoked, though," Cloud said, giggling. "And then, I got her to try it…did her a world of good, I think." Cloud smiled and leaned back in the opposite corner of the tub, inhaling on his joint, savoring it. His feet brushed against Reno's, who was sitting opposite him.

Reno blinked a few times, a bit uncertain of what he was hearing, and marveling a bit at how casually Cloud was speaking. "Cloud," Reno began, "do you realize…you're recalling almost everything, now? I mean, you just started babbling about Tifa, and whatnot…and you couldn't remember her before."

"Yeah," murmured Cloud. "I guess…it's all come back to me now…full circle. I'm me again." He inhaled slowly, taking another hit off the joint, then blew a thin column of smoke up in the air, studying it as it swirled through a sunbeam shining through the skylight overhead. "After all I've been through, I'm me."

"Thank Gaia for that," said Reno gratefully. "Cloud, seriously…I can't say it enough, it's so fucking good to have you back."

"It's good to _be_ back, Reno," Cloud replied, smiling. "Gods…I don't even want to contemplate what it might have been like…if I had never regained my memories." He took one last, long drag on his joint, then extinguished it in the water, tossing it in the nearby garbage pail when he was done. It made a spitting sound as the burnt end came in contact with the water.

"Then don't think about it," Reno said huskily, throwing the spent joint into the nearby toilet, and moving closer toward Cloud. "I love you so much, Cloud," Reno murmured, leaning over and grabbing the back of Cloud's head, bringing it toward him for a bruising kiss.

Cloud grasped Reno's ponytail, now saturated, and pulled Reno in toward him, kissing him gently. "Gods, Reno," he whispered. "I love you…more than I ever thought I could love anyone," Cloud said happily, leaning back against Reno's chest.

"I couldn't be happier than I am right now," Reno sighed, his hand ruffling Cloud's hair. Suddenly, Reno recognized a faint and familiar noise, off in the distance. "It's the chopper," Reno noted. "It's probably Rude and Tseng landing, over at the helipad."

Straining his ears to hear, Cloud knitted his brows together in concentration, but couldn't hear anything. "I can't hear a thing, Reno," he commented. Moments later, Cloud picked up the sound that Reno heard earlier, the whirring of the rotors of the helicopter. "Damn, Reno," Cloud remarked, grinning. "You have a good ear."

"Yeah, I may know a thing or two about 'copters," Reno chuckled. Sighing, he leaned back into the now-tepid water of the bath. "Man…I'd love to stay in here a bit longer with you, Cloud," he said, trailing his fingers up Cloud's arm, then his shoulder. "I guess we've got to get dressed and all."

"I'm a little disappointed too," Cloud admitted. "You know, I had wanted to really break in this bathtub properly, Reno," he said, casting a sly grin at Reno.

"Well, hold that thought until later, babe," murmured Reno, kissing the top of Cloud's head, as he got out of the water. "Let's meet with Tseng and Rude…then hopefully we can get back to our fucking vacation."

_Except_, Reno thought, as he toweled himself off_, I'm starting to wonder if vacation time is over now…Tseng wouldn't just drop everything and come out here to casually shoot the shit. Something major is going on…something that affects Cloud, too._

Cloud was worrying as well, as he got out of the tub, and toweled himself dry. _What can Tseng possibly have to tell me_, Cloud wondered_, that he's rushing out here to sit down and chat? It can't be anything good…_

The room fell silent, the mood growing less light-hearted, and more serious, as Cloud and Reno quickly finished dresseing themselves, then headed down toward the living room, where they'd be greeting Tseng and Rude.

"Here goes nothing," Reno muttered, stony-faced. "Ready? For whatever this is, anyway."

"Yeah," Cloud answered, reaching for Reno's hand. "I've got you here with me, Reno…whatever Tseng throws at me, I can take it."

Reno smiled over at Cloud, squeezing the smaller hand enclosed in his own. "All right, then," he replied, gazing at Cloud through half-lidded eyes. "That's good enough for me."

* * *

Rude touched down on the helipad, his nerves starting to get the better of him. His nervousness had nothing to do with flying the chopper; rather, it had everything to do with not wanting to face Reno. By now, Reno had undoubtedly pieced together things, and figured out that Rude had kept certain key intel from him – namely, the fact that Sephiroth was still alive. _Gods_, Rude thought, sighing inwardly as he lowered the chopper and cut power to the rotors_, I don't know if Reno'll ever trust me again…I should have told him everything, and I didn't. And I can't say as I blame him, if he feels he can't trust me anymore._

Tseng and Rude had flown from Edge to Costa del Sol in relative silence; both men were feeling rather guilty at having deceived the Turks' second in command. When Tseng had begged Rude and Elena to remain silent on the matter, Rude initially agreed; and then, very nearly went against his word to Tseng. He had almost phoned Reno after transporting him and Cloud to Costa del Sol. Yet, something…his word to Tseng? Or was it his duty as a Turk? Something, and Rude wasn't quite sure what it was, made him hold back. Something apparently greater than the bond of friendship he had with his longtime partner.

_I lied, plain and simple_, thought Rude nervously_. Lying by omission...is still lying._ Glancing up, Rude broke out of his reverie, suddenly seeming to realize Tseng was addressing him.

"Rude, are you okay?" worried Tseng. "I was just saying, we'll grab a company car off of the docking station here – ShinRa's got a whole fleet at our disposal, of course. Then we'll head over to Rufus's villa, and…have a talk with Cloud."

"Right," grunted Rude, adjusting his sunglasses. "Well…they both already know about Sephiroth, now. That's the worst of the news, right, Tseng?"

"Well, from our standpoint, certainly it is," murmured Tseng. "Today, though," Tseng began, pausing to look down at the data file he held tightly clutched in his hand – the file that contained a past Cloud had never even known – "this is not a light bit of news we're giving Cloud, though."

"No, I suppose not," admitted Rude. Sighing, he exited the helicopter along with Tseng, and they made their way down to the ShinRa auto fleet.

Rude and Tseng made the quick drive over to Rufus's villa without incident. It was helpful that it was off-season for the beach resort; it wasn't the height of summer, yet the weather was still pleasantly warm during the day. This made for very little traffic, and Tseng sped the sleek black sedan through the eerily uncrowded streets of Costa del Sol.

Slamming the car into park as he reached the villa - then hurriedly setting the emergency brake of the vehicle- the normally unflappable Tseng appeared tense, Rude thought. The truth was, Tseng was having many of the same concerns Rude had, over deceiving their fellow Turk.

Reno regarded the two warily as they entered the foyer of Rufus's villa. The redheaded Turk had just helped himself to the bar, and poured himself a mixed drink. "Well," Reno began, glaring icily at the pair. "I'd say you both have some 'splaining to do to me."

"We do, Reno," Tseng replied wearily. "Is Cloud here?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Tseng," Cloud replied quietly, entering the foyer from an alcove off of its side. "What is it that you need to speak to me about so urgently?" he demanded.

"Well, I filled Reno in earlier – briefly – about Sephiroth," Tseng replied. "There's more details I'll need to discuss, but the basics that I gave you, Reno – that about sums it up."

"Yeah," Reno said sarcastically. "How nice of you to finally share that intel with me, Tseng. You know, I really don't fucking believe this shit," Reno continued, angrily. "And you, Rude!" He turned to the silent-as-ever Turk, glowering at him. "My partner, for all these years. Fucking lying to me."

"Reno," pleaded Rude. "You know I was under orders—"

"And you know what I say to that, Rude?" retorted Reno. "I say, _fuck_ your orders!" He spat angrily, wagging a finger at Rude. "You know goddamn well, if our positions were reversed? There's no way in Hades I would've let you go on your merry way to the fucking beach, completely unaware that the guy you just killed was- oh, by the way - still fucking _alive_!"

Tseng sighed inwardly. He had harbored no doubts that Reno would be pissed, but he hadn't expected quite this degree of outrage. In a small way, he was a bit grateful knowing that what he was about to reveal to Cloud, would provide a bit of distraction from Reno's indignation.

"Cloud," Tseng began. "I've…uncovered some information here that directly affects you." He reached into the data file, producing the old manila folder, containing Hojo's notes about Project C. "Can we…sit somewhere and talk?"

"That's fine," Cloud replied. "Whatever it is, though…you can say it in front of Reno. As you can gather," Cloud said wryly, "we're not big on keeping secrets.

Reno smirked at this, in spite of himself. _That's fucking telling them_, Spikey, he thought, pleased.

"Of course," murmured Tseng. "Why don't we…adjourn to the living room, then."

Leading the way, Cloud and Reno ushered Tseng and Rude over to the living room. Walking back over to the entrance, Reno drew the doors shut. "Okay, out with it," barked Reno.

Bracing himself, Tseng handed the folder over to Cloud. "It might be best if I…explain things as best as I can, as you read through the file."

"What is this, exactly?" Cloud asked, knitting his brows together as he sat down on the sofa, opening the file.

"They're Hojo's notes, Cloud," Tseng replied simply.

"Hojo?" Reno interjected, seating himself next to Cloud. "What's Hojo got to do with anything?"

"Reno, please," Tseng pleaded. "Just…let Cloud have a chance to read through and digest things. Some of it might be self-explanatory, but other areas…might benefit from a bit of clarification. As best as I can do that, anyway."

"Project C?" Cloud murmured, reading the label on the file. Opening it, he came to the log entry regarding his mother and her pregnancy. "No..no, it can't be…my mother never would have volunteered for something like this, never!" Cloud shouted. His hands began shaking, as he furiously gripped the folder. Reno moved in closer, putting his arm around Cloud. "I'm here, baby," he whispered.

"Tseng," Reno said softly. "What does this all mean? What….what do you know, about Project C?"

"I knew nothing about it at all," Tseng stated firmly, "until I uncovered this folder amongst Hojo's personal belongings. Cloud, the last thing any of us want, is to upset you. But, I felt you had to know…that I had to give you this information."

"No, you're right, Tseng, and I thank you for that," replied Cloud, his eyes tearing up. "But fucking Gaia, my own mother subjected herself – and me – to that monster, to Hojo?"

"She may not have had a choice in the matter, Cloud," Tseng countered. "Much as…Ifalna and Aerith had little to say."

"Ifalna and Aerith?" Cloud puzzled. "What do Aerith and her mom have to do with Project C?"

"Keep reading, Cloud," Tseng sighed. "Next page."

Cloud turned the page and furrowed his brows, concentrating on the words that seemed to be swimming before his eyes. He gasped aloud when he came to a certain point in the narrative.

"Cetra?" Cloud queried, staring pointedly at Tseng. "I'm….a Cetra?" Reno's eyes widened in disbelief. _Holy Gaia_, he thought. _No wonder Cloud can…talk to dead people. Gods…_

"Yes, you're part Cetra, Cloud," Tseng confirmed. He felt his back tensing up, and got out of his chair to stretch. "One quarter Cetra. Your mother was half Cetra…and her half-sister was Ifalna."

"Oh my gods," gasped Cloud, clapping his hand to his mouth. The folder fell from his open hand, landing dustily on the floor. "That means Aerith was my…cousin."

"It all makes sense, now," said Reno, leaning back in his seat. "No wonder Sephiroth wants you…gone, Cloud. He's always done Jenova's bidding; she wanted to eliminate the Cetra, and now you – you're the last one, Cloud."

"The last one," echoed Cloud. "I always thought Aerith was the last one."

"Well," Cloud said, turning to Rude and Tseng, "It seems pretty obvious Sephiroth will come after me again. What do we do?"

"Whatever we do, Cloud, I'm not doing it their way," Reno stated abruptly. Reaching into his wallet, Reno produced several keycards, and a ShinRa ID, and threw them on the coffee table, toward Tseng. "I'm done. Tseng, I quit."

Rude balked, standing up from his chair. "Reno, you can't just do that –" he began.

"The hell I can't, Rude," Reno shot back. "I've heard enough. Turks are supposed to trust each other, for one thing. You two—you didn't trust me enough to share vital information with me."

"Reno, please," interrupted Cloud, grabbing Reno by the arm. "Don't do anything rash, please—"

"No, Cloud, it's okay," Reno smiled. "We'll be okay. Another thing—I'm not entirely sure I want to be associated with an organization that conducts experiments on humans like this."

"It didn't bother you that much before today, Reno," Tseng replied evenly. He was being careful; Tseng didn't want to lose his best Turk, but at the same time, he was getting extremely annoyed with Reno's attitude.

"Oh, it's bothered me for some time, Tseng. But I pushed those thoughts to the side, and figured, well, it doesn't affect me. But that was before I found out they experimented on the man I love," Reno replied bitterly. "When he was in the fucking womb, yo!"

"I'm done. All fucking done," Reno reiterated. "We'll obviously have to be cutting our vacation short, Cloud, I'm sorry," Reno said apologetically. "Let's pack our bags and get the fuck out of here."

"We'll…give you a lift back to Edge, if you want," offered Tseng. "Reno, please, reconsider – I don't want to lose you, you're the best Turk I have….just sleep on it, please. I know you're angry…"

"Angry ain't the half of it," muttered Reno. "No. I've made up my mind. And thanks for the offer to bring us back, Tseng…we may just take you up on it. Cloud? You okay?" Reno turned to Cloud, who was staring at the wall, his face growing pale.

"Can I…can I keep this, Tseng?" Cloud asked him timidly, indicating the report he held tightly clutched in his hand.

"I'm sorry, Cloud, I have to take it back," Tseng apologized. "It's classified."

"I—I understand, I guess," stammered Cloud. "But I still have questions…"

"I'm sure you do," replied Tseng easily. "Please, don't hesitate to call me…when you're ready to talk. Reno, we'll wait out here while you get packed."

"Thanks," muttered Reno, as he and Cloud exited the room quickly to fetch their belongings. They both practically sprinted down the long hallway to the master bedroom.

"Are you fucking crazy, Reno?" Cloud hissed, grabbing Reno by the arm, wrenching it.

"Ow! What the fuck, Cloud!" Reno said angrily. "What's your problem?"

"No, what's _your_ problem, Reno?" Cloud shot back. "Quitting the Turks like that, are you out of your mind?"

"I thought you'd understand, Cloud," Reno replied, stonily. "You of all people—"

"I get why you _think_ you had to do it," Cloud argued. "But come on. You're a Turk, it's in your blood…you can't just stop being a Turk, Reno, it's who you are!"

"You think so, huh?" Reno snapped, throwing drawers open, and shoving clothing hurriedly back into his bag. "Well, just watch me, then. Look at me! I'm no longer a Turk." He laughed bitterly.

Cloud sighed resignedly. "I know I can't change your mind, Reno, and I'd never try, Cloud said. "Just promise me…you're not doing this because of me, are you?"

"No, Cloud," Reno replied, sidling over to Cloud and giving him a quick hug. "No. I mean, ShinRa doing what they did to you – before you were even born? That doesn't sit well with me, yo. Not at all. But no…my main problem right now, my reason for quitting the Turks, is this bullshit with Tseng, keeping me out of the loop."

"Cloud," Reno continued, "Listen. I'm second in command of the Turks. _Second_ in fucking command. And yet…everyone BUT me knew what was going on. They've labeled me a fool….well, that'll be the first and last time, yo."

"I think I understand where you're coming from, Reno," Cloud replied. "I get it, I do. But…what do _we_ do now? What about Sephiroth?"

"I don't know yet, Cloud," Reno admitted. "But hey-we're in this together, right? You and I…we'll figure something out. Besides, we've got our friends, too."

"Yeah," Cloud agreed. "There's that."

"Come on," urged Reno. "You got everything?" Cloud nodded. "Yeah…that's everything," he said, taking one last look around their room.

"Good. Let's get the fuck out of here," muttered Reno. "This place is starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth."

* * *

**Well, holy crap – that's the longest chapter I've ever written for any fic. And the last part, with Reno quitting – totally spur of the moment. It just came to me as I was writing, I thought, "Reno really should quit…if I were him, I'd be totally pissed at Tseng."**

**So there you have it! Probably one more chapter (possibly two) until the final chapter, which I've already written. I can't believe I'm approaching the end of this fic; this has been my baby for so long, and I'm going to be so sad when it finally ends! :(**


	17. Home

**Slight revision to FF7 canon here, in regards to the Forgotten City/how Aerith was killed. I'll 'splain at the end, so as not to spoil anything. **

**Songs quoted within: "Corrupt" by Depeche Mode. As always, songs are quoted only to set the mood; I do not own them, nor do I own Final Fantasy, Square Enix does.**

**Warnings for this chapter: yaoi, lemons, rimming, very mild mention of blood.**

**EDIT - 11/28/10 - erm...*sheepish* I caught a MAJOR continuity error/oversight, so I've corrected it. Basically - Aerith and Cloud are cousins, NOT half-siblings. I just had "sibling" in my head, and obviously, they are really cousins, since they don't share the same mother! So Ifalna = Cloud's aunt, and Cloud's mom = Aerith's aunt.**

**Sorry for any confusion. All I can say in my defense is...NaNoWriMo ATE MY BRAIN. But I'm nearing the finish line...I'm at 45K words as I type this, so...almost there! XD**

**

* * *

**

After making a final sweep of their room in Rufus's villa, Cloud and Reno departed, somewhat reluctantly. Clapping an arm around Cloud's shoulder, Reno told him, "Hey…I'm sorry, yo, about cutting our vacation short. I just can't stay here, after that bullshit with Tseng, you know?"

Cloud hoisted his duffel bag over his shoulder, as he wrapped his other arm around Reno's waist. "It's okay, Reno," he replied. "I understand. Disappointed, but I understand. We'll do it another time, yeah?"

"Yeah, we will," Reno replied softly. "After we deal with Sephiroth, we definitely will."

"Oh yeah," Cloud groaned, remembering. "After….that. Sephiroth."

The two made their way, bags in hand, back to the foyer, where Tseng and Rude were awaiting them. "Ready?" Tseng inquired quietly.

"Oh shit," Cloud groaned, suddenly remembering. "Fenrir…"

"Oh yeah," Reno muttered. "Rude…you didn't happen to bring the cargo chopper, did you? Because we need to bring Cloud's bike back with us."

Rude shook his head negatively. "Sorry, but no," he replied. "I can carry passengers only, right now. If you want, I'll fly Tseng back right now, then get the other chopper—"

"That won't be necessary, partner," Reno interrupted, wincing as he said 'partner.' _That word just slipped out all too easily,_ Reno thought glumly. _He ain't my partner anymore, though._

"It's okay, never mind," Cloud interjected. "Thanks for the offer, Rude…but we can take the ferryboat back_." I want to be alone with Reno anyway_, Cloud thought. _I've got a lot of things to think about now…and talk about._ He reflected briefly on the fact that everything he knew himself to be, was no longer – simply after reading an old, dog-eared file, containing a compressed, scientific version of his prenatal life. _A part of my life I never knew…and just when I figured out who I am, everything changes again. _He sighed, toeing the edge of the carpet with his shoe, suddenly wanting in the worst way to get home quickly.

"Reno," Rude began. "You know, this isn't all Tseng's fault. It was Vincent who—"

"I don't want to hear it, Rude," Reno snapped. "Told you. I'm done. Done with ShinRa, done with being a Turk, done with everything. Oh, Tseng," Reno said suddenly, turning to him. "Suppose you'll want my duty weapon." He reached down to his ankle holster and grabbed the revolver there, and handed it over to Tseng, who was standing there silently. "I'm keeping my fucking EMR, though," Reno insisted stubbornly.

"Reno, please reconsider," Tseng pleaded, as he begrudgingly took the weapon from Reno. "You're my second in command, I can't afford to lose you—"

"Too bad, Tseng," Reno replied. "Maybe your next second in command…well, maybe you'll know now, not to keep them out of the fucking loop, yeah?"

"I'm keeping you on the payroll," Tseng insisted, stubbornly. "Just…in case you change your mind."

"Do whatever you want, yo," Reno replied, indifferently. "You're wasting your time. Come on, Cloud…let's go." Reno walked swiftly toward the front door, not looking back. Cloud followed him, shrugging his shoulders almost apologetically at Tseng and Rude.

"Reno," Rude called. "I…we can't leave things this way, Reno," he pleaded. "Come on…after all we've been through as Turks, and friends…that's it?"

Stopping in his tracks, Reno turned, and regarded Rude warily. "Look, Rude," he sighed. "I'm pissed right now. Really fucking pissed. Now…give me some time to cool off, yo. I'm pissed at you, yeah, but Tseng put you in a bad spot," Reno said, casting a withering glare at the Wutaian. "Tseng, you and I, are DONE. Rude…I'll call you another time, yo."

With that, Reno and Cloud exited the villa, and Reno slammed the door behind them. Tseng and Rude stood in the foyer for a few moments, silently reflecting on what had just transpired.

It was Rude who finally broke the silence. "Boss?" he asked. "Why didn't you tell Reno….that it was Valentine who made the call, and asked you not to share the intel with him and Cloud?"

Tseng sighed, still holding Reno's duty revolver, turning it over and over in his hand, caressing the grip. He removed the cartridge and pocketed it.

"Reno has every right to be angry," Tseng finally replied. "I didn't bring up Valentine's involvement, because….oh, hell, I don't know why I didn't mention it, honestly. It seemed futile to be pointing fingers."

"Vincent can explain himself," Tseng concluded. "And besides…I went along with Vincent on this, so I am just as much to blame, for not telling Reno the whole story."

"In the meantime," Tseng continued, "we're still going to monitor Sephiroth's movements. And Reno and Cloud are definite targets, obviously, so we'll have to monitor them as well. As much as I hate going behind Reno's back again, this time –it's definitely for his own safety."

"Right, boss," agreed Rude. "Well...probably they'll be in touch with Tifa. Of course, " Rude continued, bitterly, "Tifa's kind of pissed at me right now, too."

"Rude, I'm sorry I put you and Elena in this position," Tseng apologized. "I hope you're able to get Reno – and Tifa - to see that you are blameless in this."

"Yeah," grumbled Rude. "I hope so too."

* * *

Back in the Forgotten City, Sephiroth and Genesis were holed up in their hideout, going back and forth arguing with each other regarding a plan of attack. Genesis was, as usual, planning his moves cautiously and strategically. Sephiroth, engulfed by rage, wanted nothing more than to strike immediately, and without warning. Genesis had to admit that there were certainly some benefits to this plan of action, catching their enemies off guard, but he also feared that Sephiroth's rage and vengefulness were clouding his better judgment. Genesis had always known the silver-haired general to be ruthless, and cold-blooded, when it came cutting down his enemies.

"Genesis," Sephiroth argued, "I see no point in delaying the inevitable. Why wait, as you are insisting upon doing?"

"Because, Seph," Genesis explained, distractedly drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair. "It's barely three weeks since…the incidents at the Northern Crater. Cloud and Reno are obviously in hiding, they're _expecting_ us to attack them. Why not wait a few months. They'll relax, get careless…"

"I disagree, Gen, I prefer a different strategy," Sephiroth interrupted. "As you know," he grinned wryly. "I think we should…poke the hornet's nest a bit. Flush them out, and then, launch a full scale attack."

"Hmm," Genesis said, leaning back in his chair, thoughtfully. "Such a plan could work, Seph, there's no doubt. But—"

"No buts, Gen," Sephiroth murmured, getting up from where he was seated on the sofa, and moving toward Genesis. "It _will_ work. You must trust me on this." Sephiroth grabbed Genesis's hands, and hauled him up out of his chair, crushing him in an embrace. Wrapping his hand around the back of Genesis's head, and entwining his fingers in his ruddy hair, Sephiroth moved in for a bruising kiss, his tongue snaking hungrily into the soft lips.

"Genesis," Sephiroth groaned. "I want you….need you," he said huskily, grinding his growing erection into Genesis's crotch, causing him to moan.

"Gods…Seph," Genesis gasped. "Yes…"

As abruptly as he had embraced Genesis, Sephiroth halted it, moving away from Genesis suddenly. He grasped onto Genesis's gloved, hand, leading him from the small house where they'd been encamped. "Come with me," Sephiroth commanded him, his lips curling into a wry smile.

"Where….where are we going?" Genesis asked, breathless. "Please tell me….we shall finish what we just began, Seph?"

Sephiroth laughed. "We shall, Gen," promised Sephiroth. "I may be cruel, but I'm not that cruel…and I'd never do _that_ to you. I just want to…show you something. Revisit a place from my past. Come."

Taking Genesis by the hand, Sephiroth led him down from the conch shell path, toward the underground city, long vacant. He glanced back at Genesis, smirking. "I want to take you to where one of my finest moments occurred," Sephiroth continued, as he led Genesis down to the altar at the bottom, surrounded by the spring; the very same altar where Sephiroth had murdered Aerith, cruelly impaling her on his masamune.

"Here," Sephiroth breathed, his emerald eyes glowing with excitement. "It was right here, on this stone altar…where I exterminated that Cetra bitch," he cackled. Placing his hands on the cool, hard stone of the altar, Sephiroth inhaled sharply. "I can still hear her last gasp…still feel her body stiffen, then twitch as I plunged my sword into her," Sephiroth said, smiling cruelly.

"And yet," Genesis interjected bitterly, "she was not the last of her kind, as we had thought."

"No, she was not," agreed Sephiroth. "Damn that Hojo! Keeping the true identity of Strife a secret all these years. What was he thinking?"

"Undoubtedly," replied Genesis wryly, "he was thinking about all the amazing experiments he could conduct on such a specimen."

Sephiroth sighed. "You're probably right, Gen. Hojo…what a damned, shortsighted fool," he scoffed. Sephiroth took in a breath, his nostrils flaring. "I can still…smell the stench of the Cetra down here. It's pervasive," he said, wrinkling his nose disagreeably. "Disgusting."

"That's to be expected, Seph," Genesis sympathized, sidling up behind Sephiroth, and snaking an arm around his waist. Sephiroth groaned at his touch, and reached his arm around Genesis to pull him in closer.

"Gen," he breathed, "what say you…that we continue…"

"What we started earlier?" laughed Genesis, finishing Sephiroth's sentence. "About bloody time, I'd say."

Without warning, Sephiroth slid his hand down the front of Genesis's pants, fisting the hard flesh that resided beneath the constricting pants. "Yes, you're ready, aren't you," taunted Sephiroth, as Genesis gasped at being roughly stroked by the General.

"Genesis…I'm going to take you…right here," Sephiroth murmured, steering Genesis toward the stone altar, facing him downward and bending him over slightly.

"Gods, yes," Genesis groaned in agreement. "I need…this…off…" he stammered, shrugging out of his red leather duster, tossing it in a heap onto the floor. Sephiroth reached around from behind Genesis, sliding a hand up his shirt, and tweaking a nipple, causing him to gasp.

"Not…fair…teasing me," moaned Genesis, as he felt Sephiroth's hand tighten around his cock, pumping it.

"I'm not teasing, Gen," chuckled Sephiroth. "Merely…readying you for me." Releasing his hand from Genesis, Sephiroth quickly unbuckled Genesis's pants, sliding them down to his knees. "Gods, Gen," Sephiroth growled, taking in the sight before him, of Genesis, bare-assed and bent over the gigantic altar. "I can't wait any longer…"

Fumbling with his coat, Sephiroth hurriedly yanked it off, and tossed it to the side; then made short work of unbuckling his pants and pulling them downward. The slit of his cock was moist with pre-cum; he slicked the head of his shaft with this, and pointed his swollen member in between Genesis's buttocks. Genesis gasped at the sensation, and reflexively moved his ass backwards, to meet with Sephiroth's forward motion. "Take me…now, Seph," Genesis pleaded.

"I will," Sephiroth whispered, as he thrust hard into Genesis, who hissed through his teeth. "Ahh, Seph," he moaned appreciatively. "I…love you."

"As I love you, Genesis," Sephiroth murmured, increasing the tempo and ferocity of his thrusts, causing Genesis to scrape his abdomen against the granite altar. Abrasions were starting to form on the front of Genesis's thighs and abdomen as a result of this friction. He did not care; he knew his Mako-infused blood would allow for quick healing. _Besides_, he thought wryly. _Pleasure with Sephiroth…is rarely unaccompanied by pain._

Sephiroth plunged into Genesis again and again, groaning in pleasure, and feeling a satisfying sense of déjà vu. It was as if he was reliving the killing of Aerith; with each thrust into Genesis, Sephiroth saw, in his mind's eye, his masamune plunging into Aerith, nearly cleaving her in two.

Genesis felt Sephiroth shudder, as he approached orgasm. Sephiroth's hand, still wrapped around Genesis's cock, tightened, and began stroking in quick, ferocious movements. The silver haired general grabbed Genesis around the torso, lifting him off the ground as he came, emptying himself fully into the former SOLDIER. "Sweet Shiva, Genesis!" Sephiroth cried, giving a final thrust.

Panting, he released Genesis, and turned him around so they were face to face. "How was that, Gen?" Sephiroth said teasingly.

Giving Sephiroth a strange grin, Genesis ground his crotch into Sephiroth's, as if to make a point. His cock was still obviously, and almost painfully, erect. "I wasn't quite…finished, Seph," Genesis admitted, smiling.

"How careless of me!" said Sephiroth, apologetically. "We will…have to do something about that, yes?" he said, casting a calculating grin at Genesis. He lowered Genesis onto his back, on the stone altar, and pulled the leather pants off, casting them to the side, leaving the boots on him. Sephiroth also freed Genesis of his shirt, flinging It carelessly in a heap, he knew not where. Glancing down at the russet haired beauty before him, Sephiroth gasped in lust and admiration. Clad in nothing but his high leather boots, replete with straps and buckles, Genesis was truly a sight to behold. He smiled coyly at Sephiroth. He knew he looked hot; and, he knew about Sephiroth's boot fetish. If Sephiroth had his way, Genesis would walk around all the time wearing nothing _but_ his high leather boots.

Noting the abrasions on Genesis's torso and thighs, now bleeding, Sephiroth knelt down to take a closer look. "You've hurt yourself, Gen," he murmured, his tongue darting out to lick at the blood pooling in the small cuts. Genesis gasped and arched his back at this sensation. "Oh gods, Seph," moaned Genesis. "Take me….now, take me again," he begged.

"Not just yet," Sephiroth teased. "You know how I love to torture you, Gen," he laughed.

"You bastard," Genesis retorted, smiling. "Then _suck_ me, if you're not going to fuck me."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at this, grinning. Genesis didn't often talk dirty, but sweet _Gaia_, Sephiroth loved it when he did so. "Go on, Genesis," Sephiroth urged. "Tell me…tell me exactly what you want me to do to you."

_**I could corrupt you  
In a heartbeat  
You think you're so special  
Think you're so sweet**_

Staring steadily into Sephiroth's cat-like emerald eyes, Genesis murmured huskily, "I want you to…run your tongue under my balls; then, take each one in your mouth, gently…ohhh!" Genesis gasped, arching his back as Sephiroth almost immediately obeyed his commands.

"Then," Genesis continued, panting, as he spread his legs even further apart, "I want your tongue in me, Seph. Fuck me with your tongue," he pleaded, moaning.

_**What are you trying?  
Don't even tempt me  
Soon you'll be crying  
I wish you'd trapped me**_

Sephiroth paused in his activity, glancing up at Genesis curiously, a wicked grin slowly spreading across his face. "Why, Genesis. You naughty little strumpet, you. How you love when I do that, don't you," he teased him. Sephiroth did as requested, forcing Genesis's legs up toward his head, so that he was almost bent in half. Then, Sephiroth descended his head down toward Genesis's ass, licking around the taut opening before stabbing his serpentine-like tongue into its constricted depths.

"Seph," Genesis gasped, gritting his teeth, and digging his fingers into the roughened granite he was laying upon, drawing blood as he did so. "Sephiroth…you are indeed blessed by the goddess," Genesis moaned, as he felt the long tongue dip in even further, brushing against his prostate. Sephiroth felt his groin stir…again, at Genesis's words. _No_, he thought. _Tempting though it may be to take Genesis again…I am enjoying this far too much, to stop now. I want him begging me to stop, not the other way around…_

_**You'll be calling out my name  
When you need someone to blame**_

Sephiroth slowly withdrew his tongue from Genesis's ass, and promptly began attacking Genesis's erect member with his mouth. "Ngggah!" yelled Genesis, as he felt Sephiroth's sharp canines gently graze his shaft. Sephiroth smiled around the mouthful of flesh, as he continued sucking. He then deep-throated Genesis, ramming the stiff cock down his throat as far as it would go. Sephiroth's hand idly fondled Genesis's balls, his thumb gently rubbing each in a circular motion. Finally, Genesis could hold out no longer - his balls contracted as he came, almost violently, shooting his load into Sephiroth's open mouth.

Smiling, and gulping greedily, Sephiroth slowly removed his mouth from Genesis's spent member. "Apologies for…neglecting your needs earlier, Gen," Sephiroth crooned, smiling down at his lover. Genesis lay there, motionless and exhausted for the moment, but managed a smirk at Sephiroth.

"I'd say you've more than made up for your…lack of attentions, Seph," Genesis chuckled. "That was phenomenal."

"Good," whispered Sephiroth, as he moved in and planted a quick kiss on Genesis's lips. "Now, let's rest up for a bit, then eat…we'll be needing our strength for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" inquired Genesis, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, tomorrow," Sephiroth said firmly, as he stood up and pulled up his pants, buckling them.

Donning his heavy leather coat again, Sephiroth reiterated: "Tomorrow. We strike at first light. Our first target, will be that bastard Tseng. Do this my way, Gen, you'll see I'm right," insisted Sephiroth. "We pick off their friends one by one, and then…then, we may have a little fun with them, before I kill them both."

Genesis raised an eyebrow at this, wondering what sort of "fun" Sephiroth had in mind, although he certainly had a few ideas.

"First light, then," Genesis repeated, echoing the general. "I'll be ready." The pair left the altar area, wading through the spring where Aerith's body had sunk to the murky depths over a year ago. Genesis started to feel a bit uneasy, although he wasn't entirely sure why. He decided to keep his feelings to himself, at least for the time being.

_Seph's plan could work_, Genesis mused. _It…has to work. There is no alternative._

_

* * *

_

It was a lovely day to take a ride on the ferryboat; the sun was shining, and the lack of heavy winds ensured that the seas wouldn't be too rough. Reno and Cloud had purchased their ferry tickets at the Costa del Sol pier; then, they drove Fenrir on board, parking the motorcycle below the upper deck. "Hey, there's a bar on this thing, you know," Reno said, winking at Cloud. "Let's check it out, yo."

"A bar? This early?" questioned Cloud, smiling.

"It's never too early for a bit of spiked coffee," grinned Reno. "Come on!"

They made their way up several flights of stairs on the ferry, finally reaching the bar, which was at the top of the ship. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows flanked the rear of the ship, providing a near panoramic view of Costa del Sol, which was now in their wake. "Ooh, this is nice," observed Cloud, taking a seat at a booth near the windows, taking in the scenery.

"What'll you have, Cloud?" Reno inquired, as he made his way over to the bartender to place a drink order.

"Um…whatever you're having. Spiked coffee sounds good, actually. With bourbon," Cloud replied.

"Two coffees, with a nip of bourbon," Reno told the bartender. Nodding, the bartender quickly poured two mugs of steaming coffee, and added a generous shot of bourbon to each. Reno paid for the drinks, then brought them over to where Cloud was sitting, still gazing off into the distance.

"I want to go back there, someday," Cloud murmured, as he stared at the shoreline of Costa del Sol, which was disappearing as the ferryboat gained speed, moving away from it swiftly.

"Back to Costa del Sol?" Reno said absently, as he sipped on his coffee. "Of course we'll get back there sometime, Cloud. Have ourselves a real vacation."

"Well," Cloud admitted, smiling, "I meant the grotto, in particular. Reno, that was the best time of my life, that I spent the afternoon there with you." Cloud smiled, reminiscing about the blissful hours he spent with Reno nearly two weeks prior, in the hidden fern grotto.

"Yeah, me too, Cloud," agreed Reno, smiling easily. "I'm so glad you liked there as much as I do. I promise you, Cloud….once we handle Sephiroth, we'll go back there, just you and I."

"Good," smiled Cloud, sipping slowly on his bourbon-spiked coffee. Glancing out the side window, Cloud suddenly noticed some land coming into view. "Hey, we're almost there, Reno," he observed. " I can see the shoreline already. Maybe another half an hour, and we'll be back in Edge."

"Oh, cool," Reno said, yawning. "Gods, I'm tired. I think that bullshit with Tseng this morning wore me out. Let's grab something to eat when we dock…then I could use a nap, yo."

Cloud nodded in agreement. "Sounds good. Do you, um…want to crash at my place for now? I really need to see Tifa, too, you know, and it's right near there."

"Yeah, that'd be fine, Cloud," Reno replied lazily, smiling. "I much prefer your place to mine, anyway. I need a maid, yo." They both laughed at this, until Cloud started dwelling on his thoughts once again. The knowledge that he was the last Cetra was really starting to bother him, try as he might not to let it bother him, it still did. Cloud certainly didn't feel any different than he had before Tseng's revelation of Hojo's notes, and Cloud's true origins; did Reno still perceive him the same way that they had in the past? Did he still seem…human, to Reno? Cloud wasn't sure if he wanted an answer to this question, or not.

"Reno?" Cloud began cautiously. The Turk was staring into his now-empty coffee cup, bemoaning the lack of alcohol-laced caffeinated beverage in there. "Yeah?" Reno answered, looking up curiously at Cloud.

"I wanted to ask you something—" Cloud stammered, suddenly getting cold feet. "Oh, never mind….it's stupid…"

"Oh, knock it off, Cloud!" Reno replied good-naturedly. "Come on…you know you can tell me anything."

"It's just…well, this whole Cetra thing," Cloud began. "Do I seem… different to you? Like…not human?"

Reno shook his head negatively. "No, Cloud," said Reno firmly. "You've never seemed like anything but human to me. As for your hair, though…" He grinned teasingly, ruffling the blond spikes on top of Cloud's head.

"Nice, Reno," Cloud retorted, moving in closer to Reno's side on the bench seat. Feeling relaxed and content, he leaned his head on Reno's shoulder, sighing happily. "I love you, Reno," Cloud murmured, smiling. "Even though you make fun of my hair."

"Hey!" Reno protested, kissing the top of Cloud's head. "I was joking! I happen to love your hair, Cloud…along with the rest of you. Every last _inch_ of you, yo," chuckled Reno, smiling suggestively.

"Thanks," Cloud replied softly. "Yeah, well…my wings are decidedly NOT human, you know. What about that?" he argued. " I'm not who I thought I was. And just when I started to remember everything….turns out all my memories, my entire _life_, is based upon lies."

"Cloud, please," Reno interrupted, cupping Cloud's chin and turning it upward, gazing into his blue eyes. "Just stop it. I love you…just as you are. I wouldn't change a thing about you, yo. Well," he reflected, "I might want to change a few things that have happened recently." Reno's mouth formed a hard line, as he remembered. "But you? You're still you. Even when you couldn't remember, I knew you were in there, somewhere. You're still Cloud."

"Yeah," Cloud replied. "But I'm also the last Cetra, now. I don't even know how to deal with that. Reno, you won't like this, but I need to talk to Tseng. I have questions."

Reno grimaced, but said nothing to disagree with that. "I know, Cloud, I figured you might. And I know you have to do it, too. But I may not want to be around if you see him in person, yo. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Reno," Cloud replied. "I get it…it's fine. I'll probably just call him later anyway. " Cloud leaned back into Reno, smiling as he felt the Turk's left arm drape almost protectively over his shoulder. He frowned, puzzling over the thoughts that were now racing through his head.

_Just ask him_, Cloud told himself_. Ask Reno to stay with you…like, permanently. _He had rehearsed the dialogue earlier, in his head, while getting dressed that morning. "_What do you say to moving in together, Reno?"_ Cloud had planned to say. "_My apartment's bigger than yours…and cleaner…better organized…" _Cloud had thought with a giggle.

_No, I can't do it yet_, Cloud fretted. _It's too soon. Or is it, really? We've known each other for so long…feels like forever…but our relationship, it's all still really new, relatively speaking. Still…life's too short. I should just fucking ask him already..._

"Reno," Cloud blurted suddenly, barely even feeling his lips forming the words, "Move in with me."

"Huh, what?" Reno stammered, surprised to hear the question. "Did you just say—"

Cloud chuckled. "I guess I could have asked you, instead of just…coming out with it like that," he admitted. "But I'm serious. I've…been thinking about it all morning; like, what'll happen when we get back to Edge? I just…want to start each morning, waking up and finding you lying next to me. Nothing would make me happier, than starting each day like that."

Reno swallowed, blinking back a tear. "Well," he said softly, smiling, "when you put it that way, Cloud, how can I say no?"

"Shit, I'm putting you on the spot," muttered Cloud, suddenly feeling guilty. "Is it too soon?"

"Nah," Reno smiled. "Not too soon. You just…surprised me, yo. You're not much for spontaneity usually, Cloud."

"But yeah," Reno continued. "Let's do this, I like the idea of shacking up together," Reno laughed, pulling in Cloud for a hug. "Hey, will you cook for me? Because I fucking can't!"

Cloud giggled. "I'll cook for you, Reno," he replied. "Anything you want…um, within reason, of course. Hmm, I wonder, though…what are you going to do for _me_?" he teased

Sporting an evil grin, Reno moved in closer to Cloud, and began to whisper in his ear. "Anything you want…within reason," he murmured, smirking. "Or things _not_ within reason. That'd be fine, too."

The ferryboat began pulling up to the dock, and the crew began docking procedures, securing the ship to the pier. "Let's go get Fenrir," Cloud said, as he and Reno got up from their seats. "We're home."

_Home_.

* * *

Tifa and Rude had been talking. The Turk was seated at the bar at Seventh Heaven, enjoying his morning coffee as he usually did, before heading to work. Usually the coffee was accompanied by some pleasant conversation with Tifa, but that was strained lately.

Mostly, Tifa and Rude had been talking in circles at each other, without resolving anything. She was still angry with the Turk for keeping certain information from her – namely, the knowledge that Cloud was part Cetra. Rude still hadn't told her about this yet; he figured it was Cloud's place to do so, since the information was given directly to him by Tseng. Rude couldn't figure out exactly why Tifa was so angry with him; after all, she'd been made privy to the fact that Sephiroth was alive, at least, along with the others.

All except for Reno and Cloud, of course, Rude groaned inwardly, remembering Reno's outrage and anger – mostly misdirected toward Tseng; who, in Rude's opinion, was blameless. Mostly. _It was Valentine who dictated these conditions to Tseng,_ Rude thought, as he sipped on his coffee_. If there's anyone to blame, it's him._

"Hey, Teef," Rude called over the bar to Tifa. "How about…dinner tonight? I know you're not closing tonight, I'd like to take you somewhere nice..."

Tifa paused in her activities; she had been polishing the bar, and replenishing the bar stock all morning, remaining mostly silent the entire time Rude had been there. She wondered if she was being fair to him; after all, it was Reno and Cloud who would have a bigger bone to pick with the Turks, for withholding certain information.

"Yeah, I guess we could do that," Tifa replied tiredly. She yawned, not sure why she was feeling exhausted so suddenly, especially so early in the day. Tifa frowned slightly. "But Rude," she began. "There's still something you're not telling me, about Cloud, and it's bothering me. Why won't you tell me? I'm his best friend!" she pleaded.

Rude sighed. He knew he would probably regret this, and Tseng might have words with him but figured he had nothing left to lose. He had already pissed off his longtime partner Reno by withholding pertinent information, and he was damned if he was going to risk losing his girlfriend doing the same thing.

"Teef," Rude whispered. "Look…I'm sick of getting the silent treatment from you, so I'll tell you," he said gruffly. "But not out here. Back in the supply room, can we talk there?"

Tifa eyed Rude a bit warily, but finally gave a brief smile. "Sure, we can do that. Look, Rude," Tifa began. "I'm sorry I've been a bitch, but you know that you'd do the same, if it was something concerning Reno….right?"

"I don't know about that," Rude replied evenly. "I could have told him about Sephioth, and I didn't."

Tifa sighed, and walked over to where Rude was seated at the bar, wrapping her arms around his back. "I'm sorry, Rude," she apologized. "I'm really putting you in a bad spot, aren't I."

"Yeah," he chuckled darkly. "You are. But if you didn't, you wouldn't be Tifa, would you?" He smiled, and Tifa beamed. She loved seeing the stoic Rude crack a smile; Tifa was one of the few people that Rude would really smile in front of. _He hasn't been doing much of that lately, has he_, she thought morosely_. And that's partly my fault. _

"I miss you, Rude," Tifa confessed, turning him around on his barstool to face her, and burying her head in his chest. "You can tell me…or not tell me, it doesn't matter. I haven't been fair to you."

"It's okay, Tifa," Rude replied, kissing the top of her head. "Just…don't be mad at me like that again," he pleaded. "I don't think I can take the silent treatment from you again."

"You're a fine one to talk," teased Tifa. "You give EVERYONE the silent treatment, Rude!" She laughed.

"Funny," Rude chuckled, pulling Tifa toward him in an embrace. "I'm not much for words, but I don't give _you_ the silent treatment, do I?"

"I know you don't," smiled Tifa. "Thanks for…putting up with me, Rude. Love you…"

"Love you too, Teef," Rude replied, grabbing a handful of her ass and giving her a lustful look.

"_Rude_!" Tifa protested, giggling. "Don't grab my ass in front of the customers!"

"Customer," corrected Rude, spying the lone patron over in a corner booth. "Singular. You know, Tifa," he whispered, "we could maybe…check the inventory in the walk-in cooler. Might have time for a quickie before I go to work," he teased.

"Oh?" Tifa replied, her interest suddenly piqued. "I think you're right, Rude," she said, kissing him forcefully. "I think I might be out of…cucumbers," she stated, looking Rude coyly in the eye.

Rude sputtered, caught off guard. "I might be able to help you out with that," he murmured, getting up off of his barstool. At that moment, the door opened, the bells hung there tinkling chirpily to alert Tifa of a new customer.

"Perfect fucking timing," groaned Rude. He was about to sit back down and finish his coffee, when he saw who entered. A shock of blond, spiked hair, followed by a wild-maned, redheaded man. _It's them_, Rude thought. _It's Reno and Cloud. Did…Reno come to talk to me, I wonder?_

Tifa spotted Cloud and immediately ran over to him. "Cloud!" she squealed, hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you're back…and you look good! Like, totally relaxed and everything. Are you…remembering more now? Gods, I hope you remember me," Tifa continued babbling. "I mean, here I am running up to you and _hugging_ you, and…"

"Tifa," Cloud interrupted, laughing. "It's okay. I remember…everything. That includes you."

"Oh, I'm so glad, Cloud!" Tifa answered, hugging Cloud tightly again. "Hi, Reno," she said, greeting the Turk. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you, I was just so happy to see Cloud!"

Reno laughed. "It's okay, Tifa. I know when I'm not wanted," he sniffled, pretending to be hurt.

"Oh shut up, Reno! " Tifa laughed, punching him in the arm. She saw Reno's gaze shift behind her, to Rude.

"Hey," Reno called. "Partner."

"Reno," countered Rude. "Surprised you're still calling me that."

"Yeah, well," replied Reno uneasily. "Old habits die hard, I guess. Mind if I sit?"

"By all means," said Rude, pulling a barstool out for Reno. Both Turks sat at the bar. "I'll get it, Tifa," Cloud offered, going behind the bar to pour mugs of coffee for Reno and Rude. "You know, you don't look so good, Teef," said Cloud, concerned that Tifa's face had suddenly gone pale.

"I've…been working a lot lately, Cloud," Tifa murmured. "It's nothing. I think I just need to sit for a minute. Dizzy spell."

"Go ahead, take a load off," offered Cloud. "I'll cover for you…and let these two have a chance to chat," he said, indicating Reno and Rude.

"Okay," Tifa said weakly, suddenly feeling dizzy, and quite sick to her stomach. "I…won't be long."

Cloud placed the two mugs of coffee in front of Reno and Rude, and turned around to brew another pot of coffee. "Thanks, Cloud," said Reno. "Hey…you'd look cuter if you wore a little apron like Tifa's…" he teased, grinning.

"Shut _up_, Reno!" Cloud retorted. "I'm going to go check on Tifa."

"What's wrong with her, yo?" inquired Reno.

"Don't know. She said she felt dizzy, or something," replied Cloud, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah," interjected Rude. "She's been complaining about not feeling well for the past few days. Claims it's because she's been working a lot of hours, but I don't know…" Rude said doubtfully.

"That's what she told me too," replied Cloud. "I'll be back in a few, okay?"

"Take your time, yo," Reno said easily.

Rude removed his sunglasses and placed them on the bar. "It's good to see you so happy, Reno," Rude began. "I can't apologize enough, for not coming to you right away when I heard about Sephiroth."

Reno set his jaw, but steadied his voice as he began to speak. "Rude…I'm still not happy about being left out of the loop like that, I'm going to be honest," he said. "But…I've been thinking about it, and the one who's really to blame, is Tseng. He's the one who made the call not to tell me and Cloud shit about Sephiroth."

"Actually, Reno," Rude corrected him, "that's not one-hundred percent accurate. It was Valentine who asked Tseng not to tell you guys about Sephiroth."

"Vincent?" Reno said incredulously. "Really? What's Count Vlad got to do with this?"

Rude smirked at Reno's insult, but went on. "Vincent's the one who had a…vision, or something, that Sephiroth hadn't returned to the Lifestream. Reno, _he's_ the one who dictated these…conditions, or whatever you want to call them, to Tseng."

"Valentine did that," Reno muttered, disbelieving. "But…why?"

"He wanted to enlist Tseng's help…gather intelligence, that sort of thing," Rude explained. "I guess Vincent was erring on the side of caution…you know, in case his vision wasn't…accurate, or something."

Reno let out a low whistle. "So…it's just like Tseng explained it," said Reno thoughtfully. "Well, except for leaving out the part about Valentine, that is. And I didn't want to listen to him…or believe him…"

"That's typical Reno for you," chuckled Rude. "Shoot first, ask questions…never."

"Nice, partner," retorted Reno. "Don't be an ass."

Meanwhile, Tifa was sticking her head in the walk-in cooler, when Cloud found her. "I'm so hot," she muttered, as she saw Cloud approach. "Cloud…I don't feel so good," she murmured, swaying slightly.

Cloud rushed toward Tifa to catch her, before she pitched forward. She smiled at him weakly – then vomited all over the front of his shirt. "Oh man," muttered Cloud.

"I'm sorry, Cloud!" Tifa cried, embarrassed. "Oh gods, I feel terrible about this! Your shirt! Let me wash it for you!" Without waiting for a reply, she pulled the shirt off of Cloud, leaving him barechested.

"Um…Tifa…" Cloud began. "Really, it's okay…"

Tifa froze in her tracks, staring at the puke-covered garment. "Cloud," she said seriously. "What day is it today?"

"It's September fourteenth," Cloud replied. "Why?" Realization suddenly washed over Cloud's face, as he realized just why Tifa might want to know the date.

"Tifa," Cloud whispered. "Are you…pregnant?"

"I don't know, Cloud," she whispered back. "But…I, um….could be?" She laughed weakly.

"Do you have any tests, Teef?" Cloud demanded. Suddenly, he wanted to know just as much as Tifa did, whether or not she was with child, although the signs certainly seemed obvious, at least to Cloud.

"No," replied Tifa. "I don't have any. I've never needed any, you know. Oh…I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that!"

Cloud chuckled. "It's okay," he replied. He knew that Tifa was referring to their past relationship - in which they had slept together for a grand total of two times – and both times, Cloud had insisted upon multiple methods of birth control, so fearful was he of accidentally impregnating Tifa.

_Ironic_, Cloud thought, with a grin. _And look at us now…_

"Look, I'll run out and buy them for you," Cloud offered. "But…what are you going to tell Rude?"

"I'll tell him," Tifa replied. "Of course I'll tell him! I'd be a bit of a hypocrite if I didn't! I've been badgering him to tell me about you—"

Cloud froze in his tracks. "What _about_ me, Tifa?" he said slowly.

"Cloud, he didn't tell me what it was," Tifa replied, pouting. "He was going to…but then I realized I was being childish. I figured…if it's important, you'd tell me anyway when you saw me, right?"

"Yeah," Cloud said slowly. "I did get some…news, recently, that I have yet to fill you in on. But, um…this seems a little more pressing right now? Do you want me to run to the pharmacy for you?"

"Yes, Cloud," Tifa nodded. "Please."

Reno and Rude both looked up, as a shirtless Cloud tore out of the back room. Raising an eyebrow, Reno remarked to Rude, "You know, partner, if I didn't know any better, I'd think your girl was hitting on my man, there."

Overhearing this, Cloud rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid, Reno," he snapped. "I have to run to the pharmacy for Tifa, she's not feeling well."

Rude immediately got up from his barstool, looking worried. "Why—what's wrong with her, Cloud?" he asked.

"Um….you may want to talk to Tifa for more specifics," Cloud replied hastily, as he rushed out the door. "Be right back!"

"And he calls _me_ stupid," Reno cracked, as he followed Cloud out the door. "Genius won't get waited on without wearing a damned shirt." Laughing, he ran after Cloud down the street. "Wait up, yo!" he called after Cloud.

Turning around, Cloud saw Reno following him, and paused for a moment. "Why are you following me?" Cloud said suspiciously. "I said I was going to the pharmacy, I'm not taking off on you—"

"No, I wasn't thinking _that_, Cloud," Reno said reassuringly. "Um…put on my jacket, yo," he told Cloud, as he shrugged out of the garment, handing it over.

"Why?" asked Cloud, puzzled, as he took the jacket from Reno, putting it on. "_Oh_," he said, suddenly seeming to realize his shirtless state. "No shirt, no shoes—"

"No service," Reno quipped, finishing the sentence for him. "Wow, you're a quick study, Cloud," he teased, giggling. "So…you mind telling me what's going on here?"

The two fell in step with each other, walking a city block to the pharmacy closest to Seventh Heaven. Cloud sighed, and began to explain to Reno. "Well, you'll find out soon enough, when you see what I'm about to buy," Cloud remarked wryly. "There's a chance that…Tifa might be pregnant. So, I offered to run out and buy some pregnancy tests for her."

"No fucking way!" Reno said, grinning widely. "Fucking Rude, I didn't know he had it in him! That's awesome!"

Cloud chuckled. "Yeah…I'm hoping Tifa's filling Rude in right now, actually," he commented. "Oh, hey, Reno…there's a hardware store along the way, I'm going to run in there really quick."

"What for, Cloud?" Reno asked, confused. "Now I _know_ they don't sell those things there," Reno cackled.

"I thought I'd get a copy of a key made for you," Cloud said shyly. "For my apartment?"

"Oh, yeah," replied Reno, smiling. "I'll be needing one of those, won't I?"

Cloud frowned, then suddenly brightened. "You know what, Reno? You could help me out. While I get this key cut, maybe you could head to the pharmacy, and pick up that shit for Tifa?" he inquired innocently.

"Oh no, Cloud," Reno groaned, protesting. "Absolutely, fucking NO! What the fuck do I know about buying pregnancy tests, anyway?"

"And what the hell do _I_ know about buying pregnancy tests, Reno?" Cloud countered, laughing. "Just….ask someone at the pharmacy what to get, they'll tell you! It can't be any worse than buying condoms, right?"

Reno thought that buying pregnancy tests could be a lot worse than buying condoms. A lot, _lot_ worse. He was still mulling over whether or not he wanted to even do as Cloud requested, when he felt Cloud's hot breath tickling his ear. "I'll make it worth your while…later," whispered Cloud seductively.

"I'll be right back, yo," Reno said quickly and agreeably. "Meet you back at Tifa's." He gave Cloud a quick kiss in front of the hardware store, as they parted ways.

Reluctantly, Reno entered the pharmacy store, suddenly self-conscious as to the real reason for his mission. He sighed, roaming the aisles, trying to look nonchalant, but unable to locate the pregnancy tests. Finally, he found them - in a locked case, in front of the cashier. _Oh gods_, he thought_. Bad enough I have to buy these damned things. Now I have to call attention to the fact that I am buying them…oh, fuck…Cloud owes me big time._

"Can I help you, sir?" a female cashier inquired sweetly, spotting Reno staring blankly at the locked case.

"Um…yeah," replied Reno quietly. "I need…one of those," he said, pointing at the case.

"Of course," the cashier answered, taking a key ring off of a hook, and heading over toward the front of the case. "Now, we have a few varieties, here," the woman explained. "Some will detect pregnancy hormones as early as six days after fertilization; these here, go a bit later – and of course, it all depends on when the mother's last monthly period was…"

Reno shuddered, and glared at the woman. "I have no fucking idea when that was! Look, I'm sorry, yo,"he said apologetically, "but I'm buying this for my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, she might be knocked up," he explained. The cashier looked at him blankly.

"Oh, don't look at me like THAT, yo," Reno replied, rolling his eyes. "Just….I don't know, give me one of each in there!"

"Are you…sure?" the cashier inquired. "There's…about ten different brands here…"

"Yeah," Reno insisted, suddenly feeling nervous and out of place. "One of each." Shrugging, the cashier removed ten pregnancy tests from the case, and rung them up.

"That'll be sixty-five gil, please," she stated.

"_Sixty-five_ gil?" Reno replied, shocked. "Man, what a fucking outrage. Eh, here you go," he said, handing over the money. "Thanks for your help." Reno grabbed the bag and raced out of the pharmacy, sprinting as quickly as he could back to Seventh Heaven.

Entering the restaurant again, Reno nodded briefly at Seaj, who had taken over duties at the bar. Tifa, apparently, was still indisposed at the moment. He ran toward the supply room, expecting to find Tifa and Rude there. Indeed, both were there, Rude rubbing a nauseated-looking Tifa's back. Cloud was standing there grinning. "Here," he said, removing the newly cut key from his pocket, and offering it to Reno.

"Oh, cool," Reno smiled, taking the key from Cloud, and quickly pocketing it. "Now we can live in sin, yo," he cackled. "Oh hey, Tifa…I got the stuff here for you. I…take it Rude knows what's in this bag?" Reno inquired, as he handed it over.

"Yeah," Rude replied, with a nervous smile. "Rude knows, all right. Um, Tifa? You want to do this now, or you want to wait?"

"Let's do it now," Tifa insisted, taking the bag from Reno. "Um…how many did you get, Reno?" she inquired, laughing, as she examined the bag.

"All of them, yo," Reno replied solemnly. "Hey, I didn't know what the fuck I was looking for!"

Tifa chuckled. "It's okay, Reno. You're a sweetheart for doing that for me." She gave Reno a peck on the cheek, and made her way to the bathroom. "Okay," she breathed. "Here goes nothing."

"What's the over/under on a positive? I'm taking bets now!" Reno cracked. Cloud groaned. "That's really…lame, Reno," he commented.

Rude began pacing nervously. "How long do these things take, anyway?" he muttered. Reno chuckled. "You're pacing like she's in labor already, yo. Hey, you okay, man? How…I mean, what are you…hoping for, anyway?"

Rude stopped pacing for a moment to consider this. "I haven't really thought about that, honestly," he admitted. "I guess I'd be happy with…anything, really. As long as Tifa and I are together...and happy…isn't that all that matters?"

Reno and Cloud both nodded. "Yeah…that's all that really matters in the end," Cloud agreed.

Suddenly the bathroom door opened, and Tifa came out holding up the pregnancy test, a faint smile on her lips.

"Well?" Rude demanded. "What….does it say?"

Tifa started laughing and crying simultaneously. "It says," she cried, "that I'm pregnant." Rude ran over to Tifa and gathered him in his arms, crushing her to his chest. "I'm…going to be a dad," he said, unbelieving. "And you're going to be a mom!"

"I know, I can't believe it!" squealed Tifa. "Oh…I can't wait to tell Denzel and Marlene, when they get home from school!"

"Oh my gods, Teef!" Cloud exclaimed. "Congratulations! You're going to be the best mom, you really are," he said, hugging her.

"Yeah," echoed Reno, smiling. "Congrats, little mama. And partner…congrats, yo," he said, clapping Rude on the back. "I couldn't be happier for you, man. Really."

"Thanks, Reno," Rude smiled. "I'm glad…things are cool between us now, by the way."

"Me too," Reno replied. "Hey…we're going to split now, I think," he said, glancing at Cloud, who nodded. "I've got to start moving my shit over to Cloud's place."

"That's great," said Tifa, beaming. "Hey, Cloud…will you come back later, to see Denzel and Marlene? They'll get home by 4:00."

"Absolutely," agreed Cloud. "I've missed them…got a bit of catching up to do."

* * *

Cloud and Reno spent the better part of the afternoon cleaning up Reno's apartment, and moving a few of Reno's things back to Cloud's apartment. "This isn't getting done in one day, yo," stated Reno, suddenly bemoaning his packrat tendencies, as he locked up his apartment. "I'll just take what I need for now, and get the rest later."

"Sounds good to me," agreed Cloud. "Let's get back home now…I'm feeling tired."

They made their way back to Cloud's apartment near Seventh Heaven, and practically collapsed onto the couch. "Well, we've had quite a day," Cloud proclaimed, as he relaxed with a beer. "I'm so happy for Tifa. And I'm glad things are sorted out with you and Rude."

"Yeah, me too, Cloud," Reno replied. "I can't believe that shit about Valentine, though. I don't know what to think about that. And I'm still fucking pissed with Tseng. Probably I always will be."

"You know, Reno," Cloud began, hesitating, "Eventually you're going to have to get over this thing with Tseng."

Reno balked. "This 'thing', Cloud? Way to undermine the fact that Tseng lied to me, yo. Kept shit from me that I had every right to know."

Cloud sighed, then frowned. "You know, Reno, sometimes you just have to forgive. I mean, I've done it – along with plenty of other people who have forgiven you for destroying Sector 7 with the push of a button." He inhaled sharply as he finished the sentence, not even knowing from where these thoughts and words had come. "I…I didn't mean…" Cloud stuttered. _Gods_, he thought_. I remember now. I remember Reno pushing the button…blowing up the pillar…_

Reno let out a low whistle, and glared at Cloud. "Wow, Cloud," he responded angrily. "Wow. Never thought you'd sink that low, and throw _that_ back in my face."

"I'm…sorry, Reno," Cloud apologized, touching his hand to Reno's arm, which was quickly swatted away by the irritated Turk. "I don't know where that came from…I just remembered it…that day, on top of the pillar, when you set the bomb…"

"Well, goody for you, Cloud," snapped Reno. "I'd love to stay here and walk down memory fucking lane with you, picking apart one of the worst days of my life, but I think I'll pass. Do you even know," Reno spat angrily, "how many times I've woken up in the middle of the night, thinking I can still hear the screams of people who died, crushed by the fucking plate, and all because of _me_? Do you have any idea what it's like to live with that kind of guilt and regret?"

"Yeah, I do!" Cloud barked furiously, his face turning crimson with anger. "Apparently _you_ are having memory problems now…did you forget that I'm the one who blew up Reactor number one, when I was with AVALANCHE? More than a few innocent people died at my hands, too, Reno. "

"Well," Reno drawled, "more people died at my hands, Cloud. A _lot_ more. "

"Whatever, Reno, " Cloud scoffed. "Didn't realize we were keeping score with body count. The point is…we've both done similar, regrettable things. A LOT fucking worse than Tseng keeping something from you…and people have somehow forgiven us. Maybe I need to learn to forgive myself."

"Oh great, Cloud, " Reno retorted, unkindly. "Let's forgive ourselves…then maybe build a big campfire, sit around it, and sing fucking Kumbaya."

Cloud regarded Reno darkly. "Reno, why are you being such an asshole? I'm just trying to get you to see there's more than one side to things. You know what? Give me back that key. If you're going to be such a prick, then maybe this isn't going to work out after all."

Reno raised an eyebrow, mouth agape. "What the _fuck_, Cloud. Seriously? You ask me to move in with you, and now you're throwing me out over a disagreement? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Cloud balked at this. "What's wrong with me? What the hell's wrong with you, Reno! I'm trying to help you, to get past this thing with Tseng!"

"I'm never going to get past this 'thing' with Tseng, Spikey," Reno muttered, laughing bitterly. "And here's your fucking key," he said, placing it on the kitchen counter. "Swear to Gaia, Cloud, you could shit drama yarn and knit yourself an angst sweater with it. I'm done with you." Reno turned quickly and moved toward the door, hoping Cloud didn't see the tears that were escaping his eyes. Cloud couldn't will himself to move, or to even look at Reno; his eyes were fixed on the spare key that Reno had just deposited on the counter.

As he heard the door slam behind Reno, Cloud finally spoke. "No," he said aloud to no one, his voice trembling. "Not like this….not like this."

Eyeing an empty bottle of whiskey that had been left in the sink – Reno's favorite brand of Mideel single malt – Cloud grabbed it and threw it furiously against the door through which Reno had just exited. It shattered into chunks and shards which flew everywhere. Reno was still out in the hallway, sitting on the top of the stairwell with his head in his hands, when he heard the glass breaking. "Cloud," he whispered to himself. "Oh gods…I can't do this. I just…can't go back in there….but I can't leave things like this."

Grabbing a broom and dustpan, Cloud sighed, and began carefully sweeping up the broken glass, fighting back tears as he did so. _What the fuck was I thinking?_ Cloud thought. _It's over now…I've made sure of that, totally fucking ruined everything… _Cloud began sobbing in earnest as he swept, his tears falling sloppily, coating the broken shards of glass he had gathered in the dustpan.

Carefully depositing the swept glass in the nearly-full garbage bin, Cloud hoisted the plastic liner out of the bin, and wiping his eyes, exited his apartment, intending to bring the bag down to the dumpster. He placed the bag on the ground next to him, as he fished for his key to lock the deadbolt, still wiping stray tears from his eyes as he did so.

Suddenly, Cloud felt a hand on his shoulder. He knew who it was before he turned around, the scent of clove cigarettes and whisky permeating the air.

"Reno. You came back," Cloud whispered, turning his tear-stained face toward Reno's.

The Turk chuckled. "I never left, Cloud," he confessed. "I've been sitting in the stairwell here, not wanting to stay…but I couldn't make myself leave, either. Look…I'm sorry—"

"No, Reno," Cloud interrupted. "I'm the one who needs to apologize to you—"

"Yeah," Reno rejoined, interrupting Cloud, "but you were just trying to help me, I get it now…wait a minute, Cloud. Are we arguing now about who should apologize first?" Reno chuckled softly.

"I suppose we are," grinned Cloud. "Reno, I really am sorry," Cloud apologized, wrapping his arms around the Turk's waist. "Come back inside, please. You, uh…forgot your key," Cloud smirked.

"Cute, Cloud. Really cute," laughed Reno, kissing Cloud on top of the head. "So, um…was that our first lover's quarrel?" Reno asked, grinning, as Cloud ushered him back into the apartment.

"I think it was," Cloud replied, smiling. "I'll be right back, Reno…gotta run down to the dumpster."

"Okay, yo," Reno said. "I'll be in the living room, hurry back." He gave Cloud a gentle peck on the lips, then made his way over to the couch, reclining on it.

Cloud grabbed the full garbage bag and raced down three flights of stairs to the dumpster, then raced back up even more quickly, taking the stairs two or three at a time. A small part of him feared that Reno wouldn't be there when he got back, but he hoped he was wrong about that.

Flinging open his apartment door once again, Cloud was relieved to see the familiar sight of Reno laying on the couch, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, as he watched television. "I'm back," Cloud said quietly, smiling as he sat next to Reno on the couch.

"Good," replied Reno, sitting up and throwing his arm around Cloud. He stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray that was on the coffee table; a misshapen clay thing that Marlene had made for Cloud, in her art class.

"You know what the best thing is about an argument like that?" purred Reno, his tongue snaking into Cloud's earlobe.

"What….what can possibly be good about us fighting?" Cloud stammered, gasping as he felt the Turk's probing tongue on his ear.

Reno grinned hugely. "Make-up sex," he replied, winking.

"Oh," murmured Cloud, suddenly feeling his groin stir. "_Oh_."

Reno got up from where he was sitting, and grabbed a hold of Cloud, crushing him to his chest, and kissing him furiously. "I'm so sorry, baby," he mumbled, as he slammed Cloud against the wall, grinding against his crotch.

"Me…too," Cloud gasped. He fumbled with Reno's belt buckle, moaning as Reno's mouth attacked his neck, licking and nuzzling the sensitive flesh. "Bed…" Cloud moaned, begging. "Let's…I…want to…oh, fuck, I can't even form a complete sentence right now. Reno, what are you _doing_ to me?"

"I'm getting under your skin, ain't I?" teased Reno. Still kissing Cloud, his hands wandering and probing underneath Reno's jacket that Cloud was still wearing, the Turk backed Cloud into the bedroom. "You know," he growled, "you look pretty fucking sexy wearing my clothes, Cloud."

"Thanks," Cloud grinned. "It's…a little too long for me…"

"S'okay, Cloud," Reno whispered. "I'm just going to take it off of you anyway." Unzipping the jacket, Reno slipped it off of Cloud, and tossed it on the floor. Cloud finally got Reno's belt unbuckled, then quickly unzipped the pants, discarding them in a heap. They both frantically undressed themselves, throwing discarded clothing haphazardly.

"I have an idea," Reno panted. "Since we're…living together now, I declare that clothing should not be worn, unless…we're having people over, or something. This shit just gets in the way."

Cloud laughed as he pushed Reno backward onto the bed, straddling him. "I agree," he murmured, as he kissed Reno tenderly on the lips, grinding himself against Reno's erection, causing the Turk to throw his head back and moan ecstatically.

"Fuck, Cloud," Reno complained, "you keep doing that, and…"

"Yeah," chuckled Cloud. "I know. Reno…?"

"What, baby?" purred Reno, his hands ghosting up Cloud's muscled backside.

"Get on top of me," Cloud ordered. "That is…if you think you can handle it," he teased, grinning. Cloud laughed out loud when he saw the ferocious look in Reno's eye. If there was anything Reno couldn't refuse, it was a challenge, especially when it came from Cloud.

"Oh, I can handle it, all right," grinned Reno, as he flipped Cloud over onto his back. "Can you handle me, though?" Reno asked, cockily.

"I think I can handle _you_, Turk," Cloud smirked. "I have lots of lube, over here." Laughing, Cloud produced an economy size tube that he had found in Reno's apartment.

"Hey, that's mine!" Reno protested. "Well…I guess it's _ours_ now, huh," he grinned, as he took the tube from Cloud, and squirted a bit onto his fingertips, slicking the head of his cock with it. "Unh," he groaned. "You ready for me, babe?" Reno asked, hesitating a bit.

"I'm always ready for you, Reno," moaned Cloud, as he felt the tip of Reno's cock entering him. "I love you…"

"Love you too," Reno grunted as he thrust into Cloud, up to the hilt. Cloud felt Reno's balls slapping against his crotch, which only served to further excite him, so he started to fuck his own hand, moaning as he quickened his strokes. Reno grabbed Cloud's thighs and forced them upward, gaining better traction as he continued to ram into Cloud, who wrapped his legs tightly around Reno's back.

"Gods, Cloud," Reno moaned. "Fuck! I can't hold out any longer—"

"Me neither," Cloud murmured. "Almost there—"

The two came nearly simultaneously, Reno shuddering as he did so, collapsing on top of Cloud's chest, which was sticky with his own cum.

"I…need a cigarette, yo," Reno stammered, rolling over on his side, and reaching for his cigarettes on the bedside table.

"I think I need a shower," Cloud said sleepily, not wanting to extricate himself from Reno.

"Smoke, then a shower," Reno remarked. "Does that sound good, Cloud? Cloud?" There was no response.

Reno was met with the sound of soft snoring; glancing over, he saw that Cloud was dead asleep, with his mouth hanging open in a most adorable fashion, snoring his ass off.

The Turk laughed, then draped his arm gently around Cloud's waist, and kissed him gently on the cheek. _For the first time in my life, _Reno thought happily_, I feel like I have a real home._

_

* * *

_

**Aww. I love make-up sex. XD**

**As for the slight revision to FF7 canon - I kind of rewrote how Aerith died. Technically, it wasn't Sephiroth himself who killed her, but some Seph-clone that Jenova was controlling. And, Aerith didn't get killed on a giant granite altar, either, but it seemed like a good idea...particularly for the Seph/Gen lemon, anyway. :)**

**Special thanks to K for the 'drama yarn' quote. When I heard that, I just about died laughing, thinking that is the best character assessment I have EVER heard, about Cloud. XD**


	18. The Space Between

**First...a wee announcement - I WON NANOWRIMO! Actually hit 50,000 words in 30 days.  
****Very happy. I guess these long-ass chapters finally paid off. Heh.**

**Songs quoted within: "The Space Between" – Dave Matthews Band; "Sex Type Thing" – Stone Temple Pilots; "Still of the Night" - Whitesnake**

**As always, songs are quoted only to set the mood; I do not own Final Fantasy, Square Enix has that honor.**

**Special thanks to PrincessTurk for beta reading this chapter! Mwah! XD**

**Now…on with the show! Please read and review…..this is the next to (probably) last chapter! *is sad* :(**

**

* * *

**

The sunlight warmed Reno's face as he slept, and as the hot beam of light shifted slightly, peeking through the blinds, it awoke Reno from his nap, shining as it did through his closed eyelids. _Must have dozed off_, he thought, blinking as he woke up, taking in his surroundings. _Sleeping in Cloud's bed – no, our bed_, he thought blissfully, still half asleep_. I can smell his scent everywhere,_ he thought happily, pressing his nose against the pillow. His thoughts trailed off into a pleasant daze, as sleep threatened to take over again.

Until Reno realized something was missing. _Cloud…where is he? _Reno sat up quickly in the bed, and gazed around their bedroom, squinting. _Not a sign. _"Cloud?" he called_. No answer. What the hell…eh, maybe he's in the kitchen. Or the living room._

The Turk got out of bed slowly, and padded out to the kitchen, still rubbing his eyes. There was no sign of Cloud anywhere in the apartment; Reno wasn't sure if he should panic, or what. It wasn't that long ago where Cloud was relatively helpless, and primarily reliant on Reno, as he slowly regained his memories.

A fluorescent green post-it note caught Reno's eye suddenly; it was stuck to the kitchen cabinet above the coffeemaker. Reaching for it, Reno grabbed it, and smiled as he read the note from Cloud, which said:

_Hey sleepyhead – ran out to do a few errands. I'll be back in a few hours._ _Love, me_

Still smiling, Reno folded the note in two, and laid it on the countertop. The thought then hit Reno, that he had nothing to do for the rest of the day—or, the rest of the week, for that matter. _That's what happens when you quit your job all pissed off, I guess,_ Reno thought wryly. It was a strange sensation; and while Reno felt rather liberated, in that one moment where he told Tseng just what he could do with that job, now that he found himself alone…with no job to go to, and plenty of time to think, Reno had a moment of realization. _Shit_, he mused_, I didn't think I'd end up…actually missing my damned job. Quitting seemed like such a good idea, just a few hours ago. _He sighed, wondering where he would go from here; surely it wouldn't be hard for him to find a new job, given that he was head of security for the Turks, and second in command, to boot.

_Then again_, Reno pondered_, I might have a hell of a time getting anyone to hire me. I've burned a lot of fucking bridges in my life. _He reflected on the argument he and Cloud had just a few hours earlier, regretting some of the barbs they had exchanged with each other; but, grateful that he and Cloud somehow patched things up in the end_. That really fucking hurt_, Reno reflected, _when Cloud threw it back in my face about Sector 7 – how it was all my fault, that all those people died. And it was…it was my fault, I know this, but- I was just following orders._

_Just following orders._ It had been part of Reno's lexicon, and his philosophy, for so long that it was hard to think of anything but. However, now that Reno had quit the Turks –he didn't have to take orders from Tseng anymore. Reno felt oddly ambivalent about this.

He decided to make himself a pot of coffee while he waited for Cloud to come back from wherever he was. _Wonder what he's up to,_ Reno thought_, _as he poured himself a mug of steaming coffee_. _Reno still experienced those panicky feelings, any time Cloud took off without warning; he couldn't help but shake that image from his mind of Cloud leaving him - quite literally - in the dust, when he went after Sephiroth. _Cloud swore he'd never do that to me again_, Reno thought, _and I believe him. Still…I can't help but get déjà vu, whenever I wake up…and find him not there._

Shaking his head, Reno laughed aloud, suddenly feeling a bit ashamed of his feelings of doubt_. I just have to trust him_, he thought, _and I do. There's nothing to worry about…I can't hover over him all the time, anyway, he's an adult. _

_At least…he left me a note this time_, Reno thought gratefully, as he sipped on his coffee. _Nothing to worry about…_

_

* * *

_

On the outskirts of Midgar, Cloud Strife stood on a plateau; near the very spot where Zack Fair breathed his last breath. "I miss you, Zack," Cloud mumbled. "And Aerith…my cousin…I never knew. Aerith, did you know? You always knew things nobody else did…" Cloud's vision suddenly went white, and the landscape before him faded. The scent of flowers surrounded him. _Aerith's flowers_. Cloud was somewhere in between the Planet and the Lifestream – that in-between dimension where he could escape to, on occasion, and converse with Aerith and Zack.

_**The space between  
**__**Your heart and mine  
**__**Is the space we'll fill with time**_

Cloud was now sitting, cross-legged in a meadow filled with the fragrant flowers. "Hi, Cloud," came a sweet-sounding voice from behind him. "Aerith!" he cried, leaping to his feet, and turning around to see Aerith facing him. "I know now, Aerith…Tseng told me, I'm part Cetra….and your…your cousin," he stammered, smiling.

"I know, Cloud," Aerith replied softly, smiling, sitting on the soft grass next to her cousin. "I'm so sorry we missed out on so much, Cloud…but I am still here for you, anytime you want to talk…the Cetra bond is what has kept us together, even after…my death," she explained, a slight frown crossing her features.

"Wait….what, Aerith?" Cloud interrupted, frowning. "You…don't sound entirely surprised. I take it you already knew about this?"

"I didn't know…until I died, Cloud. When I entered the Lifestream, that's when I knew," she replied.

"Why…didn't you say anything, Aerith?" Cloud demanded. "If you knew I was part Cetra – and your cousin, for Gaia's sake – why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because you had to learn this on your own, " Aerith replied simply.

"But," Cloud insisted, "what if I never had learned the truth?"

"But you did…and I knew you would," Aerith replied, giggling. "Seriously, though, Cloud - I felt that you would learn, given time – I saw it happening, actually, so I decided to say nothing for the moment."

"Too many secrets going on lately," Cloud muttered. "But I guess I understand. You…always had a gift for seeing things, or feeling them, anyway," he continued, smiling.

"Well, had I known this sooner, Cloud," Aerith said, giggling, "I never would have asked you on a date!" The two laughed together at this. "Yeah," agreed Cloud chuckling, "in hindsight…that's really sort of creepy, Aer. I guess it's a damned good thing that never happened!"

"Yeah. I guess," Aerith continued, "you just really reminded me of Zack, and I missed him so much…I wanted you to be him. And you sort of were, in a way…until you figured out who you were again!" she said brightly.

"Gods," moaned Cloud, sinking back onto the grass. "I'm all kinds of fucked in the head, aren't I? Or I was, anyway. I think I'm okay now…"

"Yeah, you're okay," Aerith replied, smiling gently. "Besides," continued Aerith, "you were always hung up on Reno –I think that's the real reason you were such a jerk to me back then!" she teased.

"Wait…what?" Cloud interrupted, half-grinning. "I wasn't _always_ hung up on him…there was that thing with Tifa, after all."

"True," admitted Aerith. "But there's a big difference between loving someone out of obligation, and loving someone simply because of who they are."

"Damn…you're perceptive," muttered Cloud, shaking his head and chuckling. "You've got it exactly right, though…I felt I owed it to Tifa…so I tried being with her…and we know how that ended up. Hey," Cloud continued, changing the subject, "Is…Zack around? I want to talk to him."

"He is," Aerith said slowly. "Actually, Cloud – we both want to talk to you…while you're here with us. I had a…vision again. Parts of it are unclear, and parts of it…really concern me." A frown passed over her face once again.

"Let me guess," Cloud remarked dryly. "Does it have to do with Sephiroth?"

Aerith nodded. "Yes," she affirmed. "And Genesis, too. Hey, Zack," Aerith called, as the former SOLDIER sidled up alongside her.

"Zack," Cloud called, greeting him. "I've…missed our talks," he told him, smiling sadly.

"Hey Cloud," Zack replied, giving an easy wave. "So…Aerith told me, you're one of the family! Awesome. See, I knew there was something about you that I liked, Cloud," he teased.

"Yeah," Cloud said, standing up from where he was sitting. "I'm Aerith's bratty little cousin," he chuckled.

"Wait," Zack interrupted, gaping. "You're younger than Aer?" he asked, disbelieving.

Aerith laughed. "Yeah. I'm over a year older than Cloudy, here," she chuckled.

Cloud made a face. "Why do people insist on calling me that? Reno calls me that all the time. I think that _he_ thinks it's cute, but really…" he muttered, complaining.

"See, Cloud?" Zack said, laughing. "That's why I thought you were older than Aerith. You bitch like a little old woman all the time!"

"I do not!" Cloud protested, smiling. "Oh…fine," he said, relenting. "I suppose I tend to be too serious some times. That doesn't mean I have no sense of humor, though!" he argued.

"Which is why," Aerith interrupted, as she stood up, straightening out her skirt, "it's a damned good thing you and Reno found each other. So tell me more about the both of you, cousin!" she exclaimed, smiling. "Before we get into the serious stuff, I would like to hear some _happy_ news, please."

Cloud sighed happily, then blushed. "Um…what do you want to know?" he asked shyly.

"Ha, check this out, Zack," Aerith said, teasing Cloud. "Cloud's in _love_. Aww…"

"It's about time, little Chocobo," Zack said, chortling, as he ruffled Cloud's hair. "It's nice seeing you less emo and mopey and all that."

"Will you guys just _stop_ it!" Cloud bellowed in protest. "Come on! I mean, yes - I'm happy, now that I'm with Reno. Happier than I've ever been in my life. So…does that make _you_ happy now?" he retorted, smiling.

"Yes," said Zack and Aerith simultaneously; then burst out laughing as they glanced at each other. "Uh, yeah…we're happy that you're happy, Cloud," Aerith replied.

"Thanks," Cloud replied, smiling. "And it kills me to think…of how close I came to losing it all. When I lost my memory….after….the cave, with Sephiroth." Sighing deeply, Cloud shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away from Zack and Aerith, staring at the ground and toeing the grassy meadow with his boot. "Why…why did he do that to me?" Cloud asked the question of nobody in particular, not expecting – or really wanting – an answer to his question.

"I don't know, Cloud," Aerith murmured sympathetically. She touched a hand to his shoulder, trying to comfort him. "I do know…he's always had some sort of telepathic link with you, maybe because of the Jenova cells? Jenova…was able to influence the Cetra, you know. That's how she got us all to trust her…she was able to get into the Cetra's minds, reading them, and influencing them. Some of us, she turned against each other. The rest….she simply wiped out herself."

"Hmm," Cloud murmured, digesting this information. "So…why hasn't Sephiroth come after me yet? If he can read my mind…hell, he knows where I am right now, that I'm talking to you and Zack, right?" he asked, puzzled.

"I'm not sure I understand this myself," admitted Aerith, "but…I've gotten the sense, lately, that Sephiroth's….link to you, or whatever you want to call it – it's now broken."

"Broken?" interjected Zack, frowning. "I wonder how that happened?"

"That link, that must be how he…lured me into the cave in the first place," Cloud mumbled. "He…knew about me and Reno…and he told me he had Reno down there, with him…" Cloud's voice faltered as he remembered. "But," he continued, "now…he can't lock onto me, so to speak?"

"I don't think he can," murmured Aerith. "I think…something happened to…whatever telepathic bond he had with you, after the events in the cave."

"Yeah. 'The events in the cave,' " echoed Cloud angrily. "Nice way to put it. You know, we're all adults here, so just spell it out – he fucking raped me. I'm sorry, Aerith…I don't mean to snap at you," Cloud said, apologizing.

"It's okay, Cloud, I know what you're trying to say," replied Aerith. "Anyway…my whole point was, Sephiroth no longer seems to be one step ahead of you. And that's _good_. But, he will be coming. I think you know that already, though."

"That's kind of a given, yeah," agreed Cloud. "The question is –when? And better yet…how can I prepare, and defeat him for good this time?"

"Well, Chocobo," Zack drawled, smiling. "That's where Aer and I come in. We're going to help you, see? Now…when is Reno expecting you back?"

"Not for a few hours or so…I left him a note," Cloud replied. "Why? What's going on?"

"Well, I've got a few moves I can show you—some limit breaks you've never seen before. I never taught them to you before, but I will now. They go well beyond your Omnislash limit break. Kickass as that is – I've got something even more badass than that," Zack chuckled.

"Cool," Cloud replied, grinning. "Is that it? Will that be…enough?" Cloud fretting, suddenly realizing – he was once again preparing for war.

Zack continued, "And Aerith's going to teach you everything she knows. Including how to cast Holy, if needed."

_Holy?_

"Really, Aerith? Holy? I didn't think…I mean, I thought you were the only one who could cast Holy, with the white materia…and wasn't the white materia lost, anyway?" _After you died…it fell into the lake…I can still see it falling from your hair, into the water…as you fell, lifeless…_

"Oh…you mean this thing?" Aerith said, grinning, looking down at her hand, which was shut. Opening it, she revealed the opalescent orb of materia, and handed it to Cloud. "I found it! And, it's yours now. Of course you can cast Holy…you're part Cetra, after all! It's in our blood," she said, smiling at Cloud as she handed him the materia.

Cloud took the materia from her hand, gingerly, afraid he'd break it – or worse yet, _lose_ it. "Gods," he whispered. "I've got the white materia in my hand." _Holy_.

"I'll hold this for now," Aerith told Cloud, taking the materia from him, "while you spar with Zack for a bit. Hurry up, Zack, and show him what to do," Aerith chided him. "We don't want to keep Reno waiting too long for Cloud," she added, winking at Cloud.

Cloud blushed, and smiled shyly at Zack, who was standing there smirking, arms folded over his chest. "Aww," Zack taunted him. "Aren't you just adorable, you little lovebird," he teased. "Hey, I've got something here for you, Cloud," Zack told him. "Something you left behind." Reaching behind him, he grabbed the Buster Sword – freshly polished, and free of rust. Cloud hadn't seen it since well over a year ago, post-Meteorfall; after defeating Sephiroth the first time, he had traveled back to the spot where Zack had died, and sank the Buster Sword into the ground – leaving it there as a sort of monument to a fallen hero.

Zack unsheathed the sword, and handed it, hilt side up, to Cloud. "I appreciated your sentiment, Cloud," Zack said, smiling, "but that was no way to treat my sword. _Angeal's_ sword."

Cloud's eyes widened as he took the sword from Zack. "It's really…the same sword?" Cloud asked, mouth agape. It…looks better than ever before. I'm…sorry for leaving it like that. You're right, it was no way to treat it…"

"Don't worry about it, seriously!" Zack exclaimed, clapping Cloud on the back. "Water under the bridge. Like I said…I appreciate the thought behind it. Um…I hope you've got your fusion sword with you?" he inquired.

"Yup, got it right here," Cloud said, nodding, and pointing to his sword bag, strapped across his back. "You mean I need to use both swords?" he inquired, disbelieving. "Zack, that's…impossible. I can handle one sword just fine, but both? And the fusion sword, when it splits…well, I only have two hands, Zack!" he chuckled.

"Listen to you," taunted Zack. "Mister Negativity. Tell me, what would Reno tell you, if he were here?"

Cloud laughed. "He'd tell me to shut the fuck up, and just do it. He'd tell me…never to doubt myself."

"See that? Reno's a wise man," Zack replied, smiling. "Listen up. I'm going to run through this solo the first time, then I'm going to hand it over to you. So _pay_ attention," he warned.

"Yes, boss," Cloud replied mockingly, smiling. "Okay, so you'll be wanting my fusion sword," he said, taking it from its holster, and handing it over to Zack.

The former SOLDIER took the sword, grinning. "Nice heft to this thing," Zack observed, testing the weight of the sword.

"Hey – don't worry, Cloud," Zack said, the Buster sword in his right hand, Cloud's fusion sword in his left. "Seriously, this isn't as hard as you probably think it is," Zack said, trying to sound reassuring. "Aerith and I will have you back home to lover boy before you know it."

Cloud groaned. "Oh, shut _up_, Zack! Just show me, already!"

Zack laughed. "Okay, buddy. Here we go…"

* * *

Back at Seventh Heaven, Denzel and Marlene had just returned from their respective schools, and had been dropped off by the school bus. Denzel was now eight years old, and attending the new technical school in Edge. The eight year old had demonstrated considerable talent in building and designing robots, so Tifa had pushed him to enroll in a program to cultivate his talents and interests.

At first, Denzel had protested, having no interest in attending any kind of school, no matter what the curriculum was. However, only two weeks into the school year, Denzel had declared that he loved school, and would stay up until all hours of the night, working feverishly to complete his assignments. Tifa was starting to worry that Denzel was starting to apply himself too much, but was glad that the boy was out of his funk, and no longer bemoaning the fact that Cloud was no longer around.

_Cloud._ Tifa thought briefly for a moment about their past life together; a life she was certain she had wanted, but one that was always tenuous at best; she was never really sure if Cloud wanted to be with her, or if it was some sense of loyalty or duty with him. Now in hindsight, Tifa of course realized that Cloud's heart was never in it. And, although he had never officially adopted the boy, Denzel still looked up to him as a sort of father figure.

Tifa knew that Cloud would be there for Denzel –-and Marlene too—as much as he could, but the truth of the matter was, Tifa was, and had been, the primary caregiver for both children for quite some time. While Barret was Marlene's father on paper, he wasn't around as much as he used to be, now that he was prospecting for oil. Tifa tried to be gracious about the whole situation; after all, it wasn't Marlene's fault that her adoptive father was gone more often than not.

_And soon we'll be an even bigger family_, Tifa thought, smiling, as she ran her hand over her abdomen –still flat, but she could detect the tiniest bump, as her fingers ghosted over the area_. Everything had worked out for the best_, Tifa decided_. I have Rude—and a baby on the way, and Cloud and Reno have each other. I only wish that Aerith was still here. _She stared glumly down at the bar, polishing the same spot absently, as she recalled the slain Cetra_. I was so mean to her at first_, Tifa remembered guiltily. _And then…we became the best of friends. _

Sighing, Tifa slung the mop rag over her shoulder as she turned, heading toward the cooler to grab some more lemons and limes for the bar. She halted in her tracks as she heard the roar of a motorcycle outside. _Fenrir_? she wondered, smiling slightly. Tifa looked out the window to see her suspicions confirmed, as Cloud pulled up on his motorcycle, engaging the kickstand and cutting the engine.

Shortly thereafter, Cloud entered the bar, catching Tifa's eye immediately, and smiling. "Hey, Teef," he called to her, as he approached the bar, taking a seat on one of the comfortably worn barstools. "How are you feeling?" he inquired.

"Better than I was earlier," Tifa replied, smiling. "I'm off the clock soon, thank gods. It's not easy being on your feet all day in this condition," she said, chuckling. "Dear Gaia, I'm not even that far along, and I'm complaining already!"

Cloud laughed. "Well, considering you are harboring another life form inside of you, I'd say you have every right to complain!" he remarked.

"Harboring a life form?" Tifa echoed. "Really, Cloud! You make it sound as if I'm…harvesting a parasite, or something!" she teased.

"I didn't mean it like _that_, Tifa!" Cloud protested, grinning. "Oh…never mind! I came by to see if Denzel and Marlene wanted to come over and visit later – are they home yet?"

"They are," Tifa confirmed. "They're both upstairs, changing out of their school uniforms, and starting on homework. I'm sure we can come by for a bit to visit, in a little bit. I'm off the clock soon, one of the girls is closing for me. Rude and I were going to go out to dinner, but it's too much hassle to get a sitter…"

"Maybe Reno and I could watch the kids for you?" Cloud offered. "But…I do want to talk to you about something first, before you go anywhere, Teef."

Smiling, Tifa shook her head. "That's really nice of you to offer, Cloud, but I think we'll take a rain check. Rude and I have an appointment at 6:00, with a realtor. We're looking to buy a house!" she said happily.

"Really! That's cool, Tifa. I'm really happy for you guys," Cloud replied, smiling. "Seriously, though – if you want, Reno and I could watch the kids when you meet with your realtor tonight. I'll check with Reno first, but I'm sure it'll be okay."

"Hmm," Tifa murmured, smiling as she considered the idea. "Okay!" she agreed brightly. "I'll take you up on the offer, but make sure you ask Reno first, would you? Now…what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Sighing slightly, Cloud leaned forward, elbows on the bar, hands clasped. "Well…it has to do with some information Tseng gave me recently. Not just the news about Sephiroth being alive, although that was pretty huge in itself…this news is a little more…personal," Cloud said mysteriously.

"Personal news?" inquired Tifa. "What could Tseng have to tell you that was…personal?"

"Tseng had gone through some papers that Hojo had left behind – his personal effects, basically," Cloud began. "He had found some…lab notes, that pertained to me. From many years ago, when my mother was pregnant with me."

Tifa raised an eyebrow at this, and noted out of the corner of her eye, a customer needing a refill on their beverage. She was glad that the restaurant was fairly empty – the lull before the storm, before happy hour began in about an hour – but still found herself irritated by the interruption. "Hold that thought, Cloud," she muttered. "Sorry, I just have to refill some bevs here." Grabbing a coffee pot from behind the bar, she walked over to the table and quickly refilled the two coffee mugs for the customers seated there; after inquiring if their meals were okay, and being assured that they were, Tifa quickly walked back over to the bar, eager to hear what Cloud had to say.

"Okay," Tifa said, putting the coffee pot back in its place. "Continue."

Cloud sighed. "My…mom – well, ShinRa conducted experiments on her – on _me_ – when I was in utero. Hojo…injected me with Jenova cells to see how I'd react, I guess."

"What!" Tifa exclaimed angrily, her face growing flushed. "How did – I mean, your mom didn't do this voluntarily, did she? I knew your mom…I can't imagine her subjecting herself – and you – to Hojo and his insanity. How did this happen?"

"It happened," Cloud explained slowly, "because of…who my mom was. Or what my mom was, really. My mom…was part Cetra."

The revelation had the effect that Cloud was expecting; Tifa gasped, clapping a hand to her mouth. "Cetra? Oh my gods, Cloud, really? That means you are…"

"Part Cetra," Cloud replied, finishing Tifa's sentence for her. "My mom….well, she was only half Cetra, which makes me one-quarter. My mom's sister…half-sister, actually-was Ifalna. Ifalna Faremis. _Aerith's biological mother_."

Tifa's face began to grow a bit pale. "You…you're….Aerith's cousin, then?" she whispered, unbelieving.

"Yeah," Cloud affirmed, smiling sadly. "We're cousins. I still…talk to her, sometimes," Cloud admitted, casting his eyes downward.

"How…is that possible, Cloud?" Tifa inquired, frowning. Some of this was starting to make sense to her…growing up with him in Nibelheim, Tifa always sensed that Cloud was somehow different, but for the most part, she attributed that to Cloud being the smallest kid in the village, and always being picked upon by the bigger kids. _I'm sure that's part of it,_ Tifa thought, _but…this Cetra thing, kind of explains some other things…like those moments where Cloud seemed to get lost in himself. I just thought he was a loner, but…I guess there was more to it than that._

"I don't know quite how it works, Tifa," Cloud replied. "Actually…I always thought anyone could do that. Talk with people who have…gone on, into the Lifestream. Reno assured me," he continued, chuckling, "that this is kind of a unique talent."

"I'll say it is," murmured Tifa. "Wow, Cloud. Just…wow. Thank you for telling me everything. I bet this is what Rude wasn't telling me…what I kept bugging him about," she said, rolling her eyes. "Gods, I can be a pain in the ass sometimes. I feel bad now, that I was harassing him so much!"

"So Rude didn't tell you anything, huh?" Cloud mused thoughtfully. "That was…nice of him, but I honestly don't think I would have minded if he told you, Teef. You're my best friend, after all."

"Thanks, Cloud," Tifa replied, smiling, walking around the bar to where Cloud was sitting, and gathering him in a hug. "That means a lot to me."

"Same here, Tifa," Cloud replied, hugging her back. "Hey…I'm sorry I was such a shitty boyfriend to you," he apologized, chuckling, "but I guess everything worked out for the best."

"It did work out," Tifa said, smiling. "But gods, Cloud, you really were awful to date!" she continued, laughing. "It was like pulling teeth with you!"

"I would imagine it's like pulling teeth with Rude, too, isn't it?" Cloud teased. "He's not much of a…_talker_, you know."

"Yeah, that's how he is generally," Tifa agreed. "But…he's not like that with me. I don't know, it's hard to explain."

"No, that makes perfect sense to me, actually," said Cloud. "I'm…a lot different with Reno, than I was…well, than I was with anyone else."

"Well then," chuckled Tifa, "clearly you two were meant for each other…like we keep saying, everything worked out for the best. For both of us." Tifa glanced up as her other bartender entered the restaurant, ready to take over duties for Tifa, so she could have the night off. "Hi, Gilly," Tifa said, greeting her. "Thanks for coming in to cover this shift; I really need a night off, and I appreciate it!"

"It's not a problem at all, Tifa," Gilly replied, smiling as she sidled behind the bar and donned a small bar apron, tying it around her waist. "Everything will be fine here, so why don't you take off a little bit early?"

"Aw, thanks, Gilly!" Tifa said gratefully. "You're really the best." Untying her apron, Tifa nodded to Cloud. "Go call Reno, see if he's okay with watching the kids," Tifa told him. "I'll run upstairs and check on Denzel and Marlene, tell them you're here. Oh – Rude should be here soon, tell him I'll be right back down, okay?"

"Okay, boss," said Cloud, smirking. "Will do." He reached into his pocket for his cell phone, and dialed Reno's cell phone, not sure whether or not Reno was home waiting for him.

"Yo," came Reno's voice on the other end.

"Hey, babe," Cloud said. "Listen. I'm at Tifa's right now, and she and Rude need a sitter for the kids…they have somewhere to be tonight, so I thought I'd offer….that is, if you're okay with it, maybe we could watch them at our place for a few hours?"

Reno smiled. "So, it's 'our place' already, huh?" he replied. "I like that. And yeah…I don't mind watching them with you for a little bit. Although I must warn you, I'm not really good with kids," he fretted.

"What are you talking about, Reno? You'll be fine," assured Cloud. "There's…something else I want to talk to you about, something that came up today. Don't get worried, it's…something good. I think."

Reno frowned, digesting the last sentence. "Well, I certainly hope it's something good…you sound serious, though," Reno said, sounding worried.

"Um…I'll fill you in when I get there, Reno," Cloud answered him. "I'm going to head home right now, actually. And don't worry, really. I love you…bye."

"Love you too, Cloud," Reno replied. "Bye."

Cloud disconnected the call, and turned as he heard the sound of feet thundering down the staircase. He grinned, knowing Tifa must have told Marlene and Denzel that he was there, and the next thing he knew, he was nearly knocked over as Denzel launched himself at Cloud. "Cloud!" the boy exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in…like a month!"

"I know, Denzel," replied Cloud, hugging the boy. "I was on vacation for a while, with Reno."

"Oh," Denzel said, regarding Cloud curiously. "Is he your boyfriend, or something?"

Cloud laughed. "Yeah," he replied. "I guess you can call him that. We're…together now." Cloud fervently hoped that Denzel wouldn't ask _too_ many questions about his relationship with the former Turk.

"Ah," commented Denzel. "Just like Tifa and Rude. Cool! Hey, Marlene!" he called to the little girl, who was helping herself to a juice box from the cooler. "Did you hear, Cloud's got a booooooooyfriend," Denzel bellowed, giggling.

Rolling his eyes, and turning a fierce shade of beet red, Cloud's eyes met with Tifa's as she came back down the stairs. "I heard that, Denzel!" Tifa retorted, grinning. "Be nice to Cloud, now!"

"I _am_ being nice," Denzel countered, pouting. "I was just…teasing."

"Well, then don't tease," Tifa chastised him. "Look at how you're making Cloud blush!"

"Oh, he always does _that_, Tifa," Denzel scoffed. "He's way too sensitive!"

Cloud and Tifa burst into laughter simultaneously. "I suppose he has a point," Cloud said, giggling.

"Yeah," Tifa said, wiping a tear from her eye, still laughing. "That he does. Hey, Cloud…did you check with Reno yet?" she inquired.

"Yup," Cloud replied, nodding his head. "It's all set, Reno said it'd be fine with him. Of course, he told me he isn't good with kids, but that's a bunch of crap," Cloud said, rolling his eyes.

"Um, yeah," Tifa agreed. "Reno's a big kid himself, so I have no idea what he's talking about. Hey, kids," Tifa called to Denzel and Marlene, who had gotten into an open bag of potato chips by now. "Put those away! Now, Rude and I have to go to an appointment very soon…so, you two are heading to Cloud's place for a few hours to hang out. Sounds good?"

"Yeah!" cried Marlene excitedly. "Finally, we get to see Cloud!"

"I've got some new video games, too," Cloud teased. "Come on…we should get going. I've got Fenrir, so I can't take you guys, but…maybe Tifa will walk you over? It's just two blocks up." Cloud looked up questioningly at Tifa, who nodded in agreement. "And," Cloud continued, "maybe we'll order takeout or something, if you guys want."

"Cool," replied Denzel, grabbing Tifa's hand, dragging her toward the door. "Ow!" Tifa protested. "Slow down! We'll get there, you two, just relax. Cloud, I'll meet you there – I'm just going to call Rude really quick, to let him know not to meet me here. He must be running late," Tifa commented absently.

"Okay, guys," replied Cloud. "I'm taking off now, but I'll see you all soon at my place. See ya!" He dashed out the door, quickly got onto his bike, and took off, heading for home.

* * *

Sephiroth was hunting - not for Cloud and Reno, not yet – but he was hunting for food, along the perimeter of the Sleeping Forest, while Genesis was out doing recon. Masamune held tightly in his left hand, Sephiroth crept along silently; nearly as soundless as the deer he was trailing. It was a seven-point buck - a huge creature, one that would supply meat enough for at least a week.

He could smell the meat already, practically taste the blood of the animal, as he stalked it through the thick pines. This was the moment when many hunters lost their head – so close to the animal, close to the actual moment of the kill – that they'd let their excitement get the better of them, flounder, and scare the animal off.

Sephiroth would be having none of that; he knew better than to strike before the moment was right. He could feel the animal's pulse as if it were his own; he knew that soon, this animal would breathe its last. Sephiroth would let the buck continue grazing for a moment or two, blissfully ignorant that its life would soon be snuffed out; the general was convinced that the meat tasted even sweeter, when the animal was felled without having to resort to a chase. The thrill of the chase did not interest Sephiroth in the least. He wanted three things; to kill—to kill quickly—and to proudly haul the kill back to Genesis, who would, in all likelihood, heap praise upon Sephiroth for making such a clean kill. There was a certain sort of primal pleasure that Sephiroth derived from hunting, and bringing the felled animal back to his mate for his approval.

_Mate. Genesis is that, and so much more_, Sephiroth thought gratefully. _How could I have betrayed him so, as I did when I raped Cloud? I barely remember…the act itself. It was as if I was floating outside of my body, no longer in control of it…_

_~Jenova~_

Sephiroth willed his brain to quiet itself from these thoughts, as he moved in closer for the kill. The buck was grazing in the meadow at the edge of the Sleeping Forest, glancing up nervously every now and then, checking for predators. It had not, as yet, detected Sephiroth lying in wait behind a huge and ancient pine tree.

_Now_, Sephiroth thought as he charged – the animal had just put its head back down to the ground to continue grazing, when he made his move. Swiftly, and faster than humanly possible, Sephiroth dashed out from his hiding spot, effortlessly wielding the masamune, swinging it in an arc over his head, and bringing it down rapidly, slicing the animal through the breastbone, and then the heart, driving his sword in ever deeper, killing the animal. The deer gave a piteous gurgle as it stumbled, and fell to the ground, groaning. Smiling triumphantly, Sephiroth placed a boot-clad foot upon the animal's shoulder, bracing himself as he withdrew his sword. He then proceed to field dress the deer, intending to bleed the animal, if necessary, once he returned to camp. Satisfied that the animal was sufficiently eviscerated, Sephiroth tied the buck's legs together with a rope, and hoisted the animal over his shoulder. The general smirked, knowing that in no way could any mere _human_ attempt to lift a seven-point buck by themselves, as he had just done so easily. _Is it any wonder I want to crush them, all?_ mused Sephiroth_. They are like…ants. Worthless, and weak._

Sephiroth continued down the forest path, littered with dead pine needles, heading back to the hideout in the Forgotten Capital, hoping that Genesis was able to uncover some leads on Cloud and Reno. It was Sephiroth's wish to set out at daybreak, and take them unawares. All hinged on Genesis now, and whether or not his recon mission had been a successful one; Sephiroth fervently prayed that it was.

* * *

Reno was lounging on the sofa, playing video games when Cloud arrived home. "Where the hell have you been?" Reno drawled, as Cloud entered the apartment. His eyes widened as he saw the item Cloud was carrying with him. "Is that…the Buster Sword?" Reno asked, somewhat awed. "I thought…you retired that, yo."

Flinching slightly at that remark, Cloud sat down next to Reno on the sofa, still holding the Buster Sword by its hilt. "Yeah, I kind of did," he admitted. "And I shouldn't have…Zack was right, that was no way to treat that sword."

Reno raised an eyebrow at this. "Zack?" he said, questioningly. "Is…that where you were? Chatting up SOLDIER boy?" Reno asked, smirking.

Cloud nodded. "Yep. I was…visiting, for lack of a better word, with Aerith and Zack. I learned some new things…things that will help, whenever we have to go into battle again."

"You mean," Reno said, lowering his voice, "when we have to face Sephiroth again."

Cloud nodded again. "Yeah," Cloud said softly. "Whenever he comes for us. And we're not exactly hiding now, are we?" Cloud observed, sighing. "He'll find us…Aerith pretty much confirmed that he'd be coming…she couldn't tell when, but she knows it'll happen fairly soon."

"Oh, man," Reno groaned. "I mean, this is no big surprise, but still…I was hoping to enjoy some domestic bliss with you, before we had to get into _that_ shit, you know?" he said, smiling sadly at Cloud.

"Hey," Reno continued, cupping Cloud's chin, and turning his face towards his, forcing Cloud to stare into his eyes. "We'll get through this, you and I."

"I know we will, Reno," Cloud agreed, caressing Reno's hand with his own. "But…we're going to need our friends, you know. And I mean _all_ of our friends."

Reno groaned again. "Oh, are we on _that_ again, Cloud?" he protested. "You know I'm still pissed at Tseng…and I haven't even talked to Vincent yet, since we got back, but I think I am all set with that dude, too."

"Reno, please try to see it my way," Cloud begged him. "Please?"

"I don't like it, Cloud," Reno muttered. "What, I'm going to swallow my pride, and go crawling back to Tseng, after I left my fucking job?"

"Well," Cloud said quietly. "Then I guess the question is…what do you value more? Your life, or your pride? Because it may come down to a choice between the two. This is serious, Reno."

"You don't have to tell me how fucking serious this is, yo," Reno retorted. "I get it…I do. And…I can kind of see your point. A little bit. I mean, of course – if it comes down to life versus pride, I'm going with _life_, baby. Always. Because I can't imagine my life, without you in it."

"Same here, Reno," Cloud replied softly, kissing Reno gently on the lips. "Hey," he continued, changing the subject, "Tifa's walking the kids over here in a few minutes…but I want to tell you, as quickly as I can, what Zack and Aerith told me today. It was really good to see them again…"

"Okay, yo," Reno replied, leaning back on the sofa. "I'm all ears. Though I will admit, it still weirds me out that you talk with dead people."

Cloud chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose it's not as normal as I had perceived it to be. It's just…something I always took for granted," he remarked.

"Anyway," Cloud continued, "you can see that Zack restored the Buster Sword to its proper condition. He…taught me a new limit break. One that goes beyond my Omnislash break."

"Really now," Reno commented, his interest suddenly piqued. "So…how does the Buster Sword fit into it?"

"Basically," Cloud answered, "I'll be utilizing both my fusion sword, and the Buster Sword at the same time. It's hard to explain without showing you…and, I don't have enough room to demonstrate here, without completely fucking wrecking my apartment," Cloud noted, smirking.

"What…wait, how are you going to wield both swords, yo?" Reno inquired doubtfully. "It just seems…bulky, or something, handling both swords simultaneously."

"I thought that too, at first," Cloud admitted. "But...it turned out to be amazingly easier than I expected, after Zack showed me what to do. I also have this," he continued, pointing to a filled materia slot on the Buster Sword. "Aerith gave it to me."

"Shit," whispered Reno, staring with disbelief at the iridescent orb, nestled in the slot of the Buster Sword. He knew damned well what that materia was, but still asked the question: "Is that….the white materia?"

"It is," confirmed Cloud. "I can hardly believe it myself."

"I thought…the white materia was lost….how'd Aerith get it back?" Reno asked, as he touched the white materia orb gingerly.

"All Aerith told me was, 'I found it!', when I asked her the same thing," Cloud replied. "You know, that's how Aerith can be…frustratingly vague," he said, chuckling.

"I suppose she was—is—hell, I can't get used to you talking about her in the present tense, yo," complained Reno. "I mean, I really can't wrap my head around it."

"That's because you don't have any Cetra in you, I guess," Cloud remarked. Grinning slyly, Cloud pulled Reno into his lap, and whispered, "So….would you like to?"

Wrapping his lanky arms around Cloud, Reno grinned back. "Would I like to _what_, Cloud?" he purred, questioningly.

"Would you," Cloud whispered, nibbling on Reno's earlobe, "like to have a little Cetra _in_ you?"

"Cloud," Reno replied, staring at him through half-lidded eyes, "that has got to be the corniest fucking thing you've ever said to me. So, I'm wondering," Reno continued, laughing, "why am I completely turned on?"

Cloud laughed. "Um…I guess my powers of seduction…need a little work?" he observed, giggling. "Man…we can't really _do_ anything now though, can we?" Cloud noted disappointedly. "Tifa will be by here with the kids, like…any minute now." As if on cue, the doorbell rang, and Reno groaned, extricating himself from Cloud's lap unwillingly, and heading toward the door to answer it.

"You know," Reno muttered, "this is why having kids can be a drag. You can't have sex on the kitchen countertop, in the middle of the day, for one thing."

"Reno," Cloud said, chuckling, "we've never _had_ sex on the kitchen countertop in the middle of the day."

"Well…I guess we'll have to do something about that, won't we," Reno remarked, grinning back at Cloud as he made his way to the front door, and opened it. "Yo," he said, greeting Tifa, Denzel and Marlene, as they stood there. "Come on in. Uncle Cloudy's in the living room," he told them, smiling and pointing his thumb in Cloud's direction.

"Hi Reno," Marlene said sweetly. "Hey," Denzel said quietly. "So, are you guys boyfriends now?" the eight year old blurted, as Tifa groaned. "Denzel!" she hissed. "I told you, no personal questions!" Suddenly, Tifa's cell phone rang. "It's Rude," she commented, observing the caller ID display. She stepped out of the living room into the front hallway to take the phone call.

"It's like I told you before, Denzel," Cloud told him, as the kids entered the nearby living room where Cloud was seated. "Reno and I are together...forever." Cloud glanced up at Reno as he uttered that last word; the two locked eyes and exchanged a brief, stolen glance that went unnoticed by everyone else in the room, as they smiled at each other.

"Oh," replied Denzel, apparently satisfied with that explanation. "I guess that's cool. Hey, are we going to eat anything? I'm hungry." Grinning, Reno grabbed a take-out menu from the kitchen counter, and handed it to Denzel. "Order anything you want, yo. I recommend the crab Rangoon, at this place…"

"Hey, guys," Tifa interrupted, as she hung up her cell phone. "I have to get going, Rude just called…he's running late, so he's just going to meet me at the realtor's office. We'll be back later to get you guys," she told Denzel and Marlene, hugging them both. "Now be _good_ for Reno and Cloud!" she warned.

"We will, Tifa!" Marlene chirped cheerfully. "Don't worry about a thing, Teef," Cloud assured her, as he ushered her out. "We'll be fine…just going to order some food, maybe play some video games. You know, guy stuff."

"Hey!" Marlene protested, pouting. "I'm still here, you know! _And_ I'm a girl, by the way."

"Um, sorry, Marlene," Cloud apologized, grinning sheepishly. "I didn't mean anything by that!"

"Hmpf," Marlene grunted, planting herself on the couch, and folding her arms across her chest, sulking.

"Ha….um, good luck, Cloud!" Tifa told him, giggling as she exited the apartment.

"No can do, Denz," Reno was telling Denzel. Cloud observed the two chatting in the kitchen, as they peered at the pile of takeout menus Reno had assembled. Apparently, Denzel couldn't decide on what he wanted to eat, so Reno tried to help, by finding roughly or so twenty take-out menus for Denzel to peruse. "I told you, I've sworn off buffalo wings, yo, we're not getting them," Reno declared. "Well," he said, relenting, "I suppose _you_ can get them if you want, but ah…be careful what you touch after you eat them."

Cloud suddenly started choking and sputtering. "You okay, Cloud?" Marlene inquired. "What's wrong? Can I get you some water?"

"Yes—" Cloud sputtered, "water—would be nice-thank you." His face was starting to turn beet red. Reno glanced over at him and began laughing. "Hey, I was just warning the kid, yo," he remarked dryly. "Wouldn't want him to make the same mistake we did—"

"What mistake was that, Reno?" Denzel inquired, seriously.

"Never MIND, Denzel," Cloud retorted. "Sometimes Reno…speaks before he thinks," he snapped, glaring at the redhead, who returned the glare by sticking out his tongue and giggling. "Gods, Reno, what are you – five?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Reno drawled lazily, grinning, as he turned his attention to the pile of take-out menus once again. "So, no wings for me, Denzel. Let's get Chinese food instead!"

"Did you get wing sauce in your eye, or somethin', Reno?" Denzel pressed on. "I did that once. It hurt like a motherfucker!"

Cloud and Reno stared at each other, mouths agape_. What did we get ourselves into, here, with this babysitting gig?_ Reno wondered. "Denzel," Cloud began, sternly, "you shouldn't be using that kind of language."

"Why not?" Denzel argued stubbornly. "You guys do it."

"Yeah, we do," replied Reno, "but we've also got twenty or so years on you, pal."

"How old are you anyway, Reno?" Marlene piped up. "Are you forty? My daddy is _almost_ forty."

It was Reno's turn to sputter this time. "What?" he protested. "I am…not forty! I'm…younger than that, yo."

Laughing, Cloud told Denzel and Marlene, "He's twenty-seven."

"Oh, so you're _older_ than Cloud," Marlene noted. "Wow…"

"What do you mean, 'wow', Marlene?" Reno retorted. "What's that supposed to mean?" The former Turk was starting to get irritated with this line of interrogation. _From a six year old, no less._

"Nothing," Marlene replied solemnly. "I just think it's nice that Cloud found an older man."

Cloud sputtered laughing. "Now I've heard everything, Marlene," he hooted. "You sound….like my mother, or something. Come on. Let's just order our food now, and we'll have it delivered. I have that new video game, if you guys want to try it out," Cloud offered.

"Oooh, the F1 racing game?" Denzel asked excitedly. "I want to play. Marlene will probably beat me, though."

"Really, now," Reno remarked, gathering up the game controllers and handing one each to the kids, and one to Cloud. "I guess we'll see about that!"

"Throwing down the gauntlet, Reno?" Cloud taunted, grinning. "Sounds like a challenge. You guys do that…I'm going to call in our order," he told Reno, as he began dialing on his cell phone, and quickly placed their food order.

"I've been playing all day, yo," Reno told Marlene and Denzel cockily, as he sat back down on the couch, and turned on the television set, and then the video game. "I'll whip you all!"

"You know what that means," Cloud said, warning the children, as he returned to the living room.

"What?" Denzel and Marlene asked, simultaneously.

"It means epic fail for Reno," Cloud murmured, grinning. "What's that saying? 'Pride goeth before a fall?'"

"Oh, them's fighting words, Strife," muttered Reno. "You are going DOWN. And I do mean all of you, I'm not going easy on you two because you're kids, either," Reno warned them.

They started the game, each selecting their vehicle. Reno insisted on selecting one of the more difficult tracks, set in a mountainous area with many twists and turns. "Easy," scoffed Cloud, as he maneuvered his vehicle effortlessly through the hairpin turns, going at top speed. "This is just like driving through Nibelheim." With a flick of his wrist, Cloud moved the controller quickly to the right, forcing Reno's vehicle off the road, and over a cliff, where it crashed to the mountainous terrain below.

"Looks like I win, Reno," Cloud said smugly. The redhead was not amused, and glared silently at Cloud. _Cheater_, he mouthed to Cloud, who replied by sticking his tongue out at Reno.

"Yay!" cheered Marlene, beaming. "You won, Cloud! Aww…too bad for you, Reno."

"Hey!" protested Reno. "He…forced me off the road! That wasn't right!"

"You're not supposed to pass on the right, especially on a hairpin turn," Denzel told Reno, chastising him. "Gods, I thought everyone knew that!"

"Apparently not," Reno remarked dryly. "Ah, the food's here," he observed, as the doorbell sounded. "About time. Come on….let's go eat."

Reno trotted to the door to get the delivery, while Cloud showed Denzel and Marlene over to the kitchen table. "You guys want sodas or something?" he offered. Both kids nodded. "Yeah, soda's good. Or a beer, if you have one," replied Denzel.

Cloud looked stonily at the eight year old. "No beer," he said shortly. "Soda for you, you're only eight years old, D!"

"Oh well," Denzel sighed. "I tried."

Reno paid the delivery man, and brought the bags of food back over to the table. "Dude," Reno said to Cloud, "how much did you freaking order, man? There's enough food here for nine people. _And_ their mothers. "

"I was hungry," Cloud replied simply, grinning as he sat down at the table.

"Oh, look, Reno!" Denzel crowed, as he spotted a plastic packet of hot Chinese mustard. "I better not let you have this, you might get it in your eye."

"Wonderful," Reno replied, rolling his eyes, as Cloud burst out laughing. "Thank you _so much_, Denzel, for looking out for me," he said sarcastically.

"You're welcome!" Denzel replied brightly, helping himself to an eggroll.

Reno grinned in spite of himself. Oddly, he found himself enjoying being around Denzel and Marlene, even though he would still swear up and down that he 'wasn't good with kids.' Even so, Reno found himself checking his watch, or glancing out the window for signs of Tifa and Rude – he was craving time alone with Cloud, and as the minutes ticked by, Reno grew more and more antsy. After everyone finished eating, Reno took a seat in the leather recliner, legs splayed out practically straight, resting on the coffee table. Denzel and Marlene had moved on to playing Mooglerama, a video game for children, and one that Reno had teased Cloud mercilessly about owning when he first came upon it.

"Yo, Cloud, how long did Tifa say she and Rude were going to be, anyway?" Reno asked Cloud absently. Meanwhile Cloud was crawling on his hands and knees, searching for another video game that had fallen underneath his entertainment center, and shrugged his shoulders when Reno asked the question. "She didn't say," Cloud replied indifferently. "Now, where the hell is that game," he muttered. "Reno, did you do something with that helicopter game?" he inquired.

"I, uh…" Reno stuttered, as his eyes remained fixed to Cloud's leather-clad ass; his low-riding pants were riding even lower, as Cloud pressed himself closer to the floor, searching for his game. "Um, what did you say?" Reno murmured, not even hearing the question.

_**I am, I am, I am  
**__**I said I wanna get next to you  
**__**I said I gonna get close to you**_

"The game you bought, Hovercraft, have you seen it?" Cloud asked irritably. Cloud glanced back at Reno, only to see him staring back at him lustfully, with his mouth hanging open. "I…think it's in the bedroom, Cloud," Reno replied hypnotically, not averting his gaze from Cloud's ass, and grinning wolfishly at him. Cloud recognized in an instant, that stare of Reno's - and the licentious intent behind it.

"Maybe," Cloud said slowly as he stood up, "I…should call Tifa in a few minutes, see what's up."

"Yeah," murmured Reno, as he gazed down at his bulging crotch. "We should…see what's…up." Reno glance up, again locking eyes with Cloud; his pulse started to increase, as he started to think of ways he could ease those leather pants off of Cloud's slim hips, perhaps using only his teeth to do so…

_**I know you want what's on my mind  
**__**I know you like what's on my mind  
**__**I know it eats you up inside  
**__**I know, you know, you know, you know…**_

_Damn him_, Cloud thought, grinning in spite of his mounting sexual frustration_. Just one stolen glance from Reno...and I turn into jelly. Where the hell is Tifa, anyways?_

"Shut up, Marlene!" Denzel suddenly snapped, chucking the video game controller at Marlene's head. "Ow!" she shrieked. "What are you doooooing!" she wailed, rubbing her head, and starting to cry.

"Hey!" Cloud bellowed, narrowing his eyes at Denzel. "What the hell is going on here?"

"She cheated!" Denzel yelled, pouting. "Oh, never _mind_!" he shrieked, throwing himself theatrically against the back of the couch, and sighing dramatically. "You always take her side, anyways, Cloud!"

"Hold on, yo," interrupted Reno, frowning, "we both saw you throw it at Marlene's _head_. Not cool."

Denzel sighed guiltily. "I'm…sorry," he muttered. "I got mad when she won, it's a BABY game!"

"Tell Marlene you're sorry," Cloud ordered the boy, regarding him grimly.

"S-sorry, Marlene," Denzel whimpered. He was suddenly regretting his actions, knowing he'd be in big trouble whenever Tifa and Rude arrived.

Cloud sucked in his breath, as he felt his groin twitch. He wanted Reno badly, and he wanted him _now_. "I'm calling Tifa now," Cloud muttered quietly to himself, as he reached for his cell phone. "Before my balls turn bluer than Shiva."

"What did you say, Cloud?" Marlene inquired innocently.

"Um, nothing," Cloud replied quickly, as he dialed Tifa's cell phone. "Hello, Tifa? Hey, I hope it went okay….nope, no _real_ problems," Cloud said, with a studied glare at Denzel, who gulped sheepishly. "Are you guys on your way back yet? Oh…okay then. We'll see you in a few."

Cloud disconnected the call, and told Reno, "She said it went well….sounds like they made an offer or something….and she and Rude are a block away, they'll be here in minutes."

_Yes!_ Reno exclaimed inwardly. He didn't want to appear overly excited in front of the kids, about the fact that they'd be leaving soon, but the truth of the matter was, Reno was _thrilled_.

"Cool," Reno replied, trying to sound nonchalant. Moments later, the buzzer sounded; Cloud and Reno both stood up simultaneously to grab the intercom to buzz Tifa and Rude in, and they crashed into each other. "Sorry," Cloud apologized, grinning. _Gods, Reno feels like he's on fire_, Cloud noted, as Reno's forearm brushed against his. "You're…hot, Reno," Cloud whispered.

"Thanks, baby," Reno replied, in a sultry tone. "So are you."

"No, I mean…you're…warm…I don't mean to say you're not hot in _that_ way, too, because you are…" Cloud stammered.

_**Now I just wanna get close to you  
**__**And taste your love so sweet  
**__**And I just wanna make love to you,  
**__**Feel your body heat**_

"I love getting you hot and bothered, yo," Reno murmured, although he was fully aware that Cloud was having exactly the same effect on him. _Where the fuck are you, Rude?_ Reno thought impatiently. _Get your bald ass up here, pronto!_

It was only a minute or two later, that a knock came upon the apartment door, but to a horny Reno, it felt like eons. He dashed to the door before anyone else could react, flinging it open. "Tifa. Rude," he said, greeting them.

Rude raised an eyebrow, curiously. He knew Reno all too well, and knew something was up with him. "Reno," he began. "What's the matter?"

"What do you mean, what's the matter?" Reno replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably. He was now sporting a raging hard-on that was almost painful.

"You've got those crazy eyes going on, Reno," Rude answered, smirking. "That's what I mean."

"Oh, well, uh—oh it's, nothing, Rude," Reno stuttered. "We just have—somewhere to run to really quick, so I was hoping you guys would get here soon."

"Where are you going?" Tifa inquired absently, as she gathered Denzel and Marlene. "I hope you two behaved for Cloud!" she remarked. The two children looked at each other, but said nothing.

"We're going…to rent a video," Cloud stammered. "Right now."

"Oh," Tifa replied curiously. "What's the rush?"

"It's a….new release," Reno answered, clenching his teeth. "We don't want to be too late…and find it gone." Rude continued smirking at Reno, while Tifa seemed to be oblivious to the sexual tension between the two.

"Okay, guys," said Tifa. "Hey, thanks again for watching the kids! Cloud, do you want to…set up a meeting with our friends tomorrow? Go over everything we talked about earlier?"

"Yes," Cloud replied briefly, his face becoming markedly flushed. "I'll…call everyone in the morning. We really gotta get going."

"Maybe we can all walk together!" Denzel proclaimed. "The video store is near Tifa's."

"Nah, you guys go on ahead. I need to get my shoes on, yo," Reno lied, as he looked down at the boots already on his feet. "_Different_ shoes," he added, already anticipating what the inquisitive Denzel would be asking him.

"Well, we'll talk to you tomorrow, then, Cloud!" Tifa sang out as they exited the apartment. "Yeah. Enjoy your…video," Rude remarked, smirking.

"Shut up," Reno replied unkindly, shutting the door behind them. "Asshole." He gasped as he felt Cloud come up behind him, his hands reaching around Reno's waist, shoving one down into the front of his pants. "Fuck, Cloud," he moaned.

"I thought they'd never fucking leave," Cloud whispered, as he wrapped his hand around Reno's cock, stroking it up and down as he licked the back of Reno's neck.

"Ohhhh gods, Cloud," Reno groaned, pressing his back into Cloud, grinding his ass against the blond's crotch, causing Cloud to moan and tighten his grip on Reno. "We…need to do something about this," Cloud muttered, breathing heavily, as he released his hand from Reno's engorged erection.

Reno turned around to face Cloud, and wrapped his arms around him. "Something…that sounds good, doing _something_," Reno murmured, snaking his tongue into Cloud's mouth, and pulling him in for a bruising kiss. "Something like this." Reno grabbed Cloud's thighs, one at a time, and forced the blond to straddle him. "Keep your legs wrapped around me, baby," Reno ordered, his pulse quickening. Cloud responded by tightening his legs around Reno's waist, and the Turk carried Cloud into the kitchen, sitting him on the countertop.

"Oh no, Reno," Cloud protested, when he realized what Reno had in mind. "You're not—no, not on the counter-"

"Yes, I am," Reno interrupted, as he hastily unbuckled Cloud's pants, yanking them down, then proceeding with undoing his own. "I _so_ fucking am."

"But…" Cloud protested, moaning as he felt Reno's fingers invade his entrance, one…two…then finally three were inserted, teasing the sweet spot. "But….I make….food, here," Cloud babbled, protesting stupidly, as he panted, trying to catch his breath.

"We'll clean it after, yo!" Reno said, chuckling. He removed his fingers from Cloud's ass, and began guiding his cock toward it, tipping Cloud back a bit on the countertop as he pressed against him. "Nnngh," Reno grunted, as he slowly thrust into Cloud, who threw his head back in ecstasy, banging it against the cabinet. "Ow," Cloud muttered, as he spread his legs even further apart, to allow Reno to penetrate deeper. "Oh gods, Reno, not so fucking slow!" Cloud complained, grabbing Reno by the ass to facilitate and speed up matters.

"I _have_ to take it slow," Reno said steadily, gritting his teeth, "or I will fucking lose it immediately. I have been fucking _aching _for you all day, Cloud." He drew in a sharp breath as he worked his length into Cloud slowly, until he was in all the way; then, he began thrusting in and out, gently at first, but then increasing his speed and tempo, until he was slamming into Cloud relentlessly. "Fuck," moaned Reno, grabbing Cloud by the hips and lifting him off the counter as he continued pummeling into him. "On the floor," Cloud whispered. "You…lay on the floor." Reno obeyed without a sound, still inside Cloud, and slowly sank down, lying on his back on the cold tile floor. "I love it when you ride me, Cloud," Reno proclaimed, staring up lustfully at Cloud, who had begun doing just that, grunting as he thrust himself up and down on Reno's shaft. "Me…too," gasped Cloud, as he began fisting his own cock, stroking it rapidly.

"Ifrit's fucking balls, I'm going to come," moaned Reno, digging his nails into Cloud's ass as he drove his pelvis upward, meeting Cloud's downward thrust.

"Not yet," whispered Cloud. "Not…fucking…yet…." He closed his eyes as he arched his back, increasing his strokes. "Oh….almost there…" he moaned.

"Shit, Cloud, I can't hold on anymore," complained Reno, panting. "Kiss me." He pulled Cloud down to him, crushing his mouth to his. "Fuck," he growled. "You are one _fine_ piece of ass, baby. Oh, oh, _fuck_, Cloud!" Reno exclaimed as he came, thrusting even harder into Cloud as he did so.

Cloud grinned, and then his mouth went stupidly slack. "Oh gods…I'm gonna…" He never finished the sentence as he came, his load shooting up with enough velocity to hit Reno squarely in the chin.

"Sweet Shiva, Cloud," Reno said, chuckling, as he wiped the residue away from his mouth. "You cum like a fucking bullet train."

Cloud laughed, then sank down onto Reno, feeling completely spent. "That's an interesting way of putting it," Cloud remarked, yawning. "I want to fall asleep right here," he mumbled, as his fingers lazily caressed Reno's collarbone.

"Um…the floor's kind of cold, yo," Reno remarked, smiling. "Come on…let's get showered, and then I'm going to bed," he said, getting up, and helping Cloud to his feet as well. "Besides…we'll have a busy day tomorrow, if I've gotta talk to that bastard Tseng," Reno added, smirking.

Raising an eyebrow, Cloud cast a quizzical glance at Reno. "Really, Reno?" he said hopefully. "You'll….talk to him?"

"I will _call_ him," Reno said, correcting him. "Not necessarily gonna meet with him tomorrow. I don't know if I want to see the bastard. But I'll _try_, Cloud. I'll try. That's the best I can tell you, right now."

"That's good enough for me," Cloud replied, smiling at Reno as they headed toward the bathroom to shower. "Thank you, Reno."

* * *

Back at the hideout in the Forgotten City, Sephiroth was busily skinning the deer. He was a bit disappointed that Genesis hadn't been there to see the impressive size of the animal, before Sephiroth had to break the carcass down into usable cuts of meat.

Wielding his hunting knife, Sephiroth carefully ran it under the skin of the deer's back, lifting the edge with his free hand as he did so. The meat underneath appeared succulent, and Sephiroth was once again ravenous. He had separated the loin and the flank, and was beginning to work on the ribs, when a flash of red appeared within his field of vision. _Genesis._

Casting his knife to the side, Sephiroth got to his feet quickly, as Genesis ran hurriedly toward him, up the barren path outside the hideout. "Genesis," Sephiroth called to him. "What did you learn…any luck this time?"

Genesis's eyes were shining happily as he replied. "Yes, Seph," he affirmed. He stood before Sephiroth, regarding him almost hungrily, and gently touched his gloved hand to Sephiroth's face, pushing back a stray lock of silver hair. "_I found them_," he exclaimed excitedly.

"Where?" Sephiroth replied eagerly, cupping the back of Genesis's head, and pulling him in for a bruising kiss. "Mmm," grunted Sephiroth. "Where…were they hiding, Gen?"

"The fools," Genesis spat bitterly. "They're no longer hiding at all…'hiding in plain sight', as it were. They're smack in the middle of bloody Edge! Although, I would wager that they'd been in hiding the weeks prior to this, since we could not find them."

Frowning, Sephiroth turned from Genesis, and went back to skinning the deer, silently. Genesis squatted down next to where Sephiroth was working, and touched his hand to the general's shoulder. "Sephiroth," Genesis asked softly. "Is…something the matter? I thought you'd be pleased with this news?"

"Oh, I am indeed pleased, Gen," Sephiroth replied quickly. "It's just that…something has changed. I no longer have that connection to Cloud, that bond. Whatever you wish to call it – time was, when I could read his mind, dive right in without the puppet even _knowing_ it, and now…that's gone."

Genesis frowned. He'd known all along about this psychic connection with Cloud; it troubled him to hear that this had been suddenly broken. He suspected that Reno's EMR attack had something to do with it – or, conversely, a delayed reaction from the Goddess materia. Whatever the cause, they no longer were one step ahead of Cloud as they used to be. He smiled, recalling the relative ease with which he had located both Strife and the Turk earlier today, while remaining completely undetected himself. The former SOLDIER had become extremely adept at concealing himself, and he had to be, all the while he had been orchestrating his plan to resurrect Sephiroth from the dead.

"I know it bothers you, Seph," Genesis began, "that you can no longer have the jump on Cloud, so to speak, but…I assure you, they have grown careless. Unless…they're expecting us, which is also possible," Genesis considered.

"Nonsense," scoffed Sephiroth, thrusting his knife into the ribcage of the deer; it made a satisfying cracking sound, as he separated one rack of ribs from the other, by slicing through the breastbone. "As far as they're concerned…they believe me to be dead, by Reno's hand."

"I doubt this very much," Genesis admitted. "Tseng…he wouldn't have bothered sending his Turks our way to scout, unless he had some sort of suspicions, or other intel…indicating that you were still alive."

Sephiroth scowled, then roared, stabbing his knife furiously into the side of the deer. He stood up quickly, clearly irritated by Genesis's theory. He had to admit, however, that Genesis was probably right.

"How the fuck did this happen!" Sephiroth shouted. "You, Gen, _you_ – were supposed to stand guard. _You_ should have prevented this from happening."

"And I _did_ so," Genesis snapped, his eyes flashing angrily. "As you well know. I eliminated those Turk scouts—"

"And you did so," Sephiroth interrupted, his face now inches away from Genesis's, "only after you reported to me that you were spotted, Gen. _You_ were spotted. _You_ were careless. As much as you go on about Cloud and his friends being careless now, what about you?" he bellowed angrily.

Genesis knew there was a spot of truth to this, but he was furious at Sephiroth's accusatory tone, and he wasn't about to let the general break him down. "You know what, Seph?" he replied evenly. " Fine, blame me, if you wish – if it will make you feel better – but honestly—how long did you think we could remain hidden? I kept you concealed, while you were in stasis in your Mako cocoon, for nigh on a year. A _year_, Seph. But you know what, since I'm such a…liability here, I'd best let you fight your own fucking battle with Cloud, then. You ungrateful _prick_," he hissed, spitting on the ground, some of it hitting Sephiroth's boot-clad foot.

"You little fuck!" Sephiroth shouted, grabbing Genesis by the windpipe, and lifting him off of the ground, glaring at him. Genesis gave Sephiroth a jaded look, and smirked, despite struggling for air.

Growling, Sephiroth released his grip on Genesis's throat, and tossed him to the ground. Clearing his throat, Genesis, his voice sounding hoarse, recited a passage from LOVELESS:

_There is no hate, only joy  
For you are beloved by the goddess  
Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds_

Exasperated, Sephiroth sighed. "Enough," he barked. "Let's…move on from this. But for the love of Gaia, _please_ stop with your recitations of…that. I'm…sorry about that, Genesis." He moved toward Genesis, gently touching a finger to the throat he had just been throttling moments before.

Rubbing his throat gingerly, Genesis chuckled hoarsely. "Yes…I suppose we shall have to move on, Seph. Attacking at first light, as we discussed?" he inquired.

"No, I think not," Sephiroth began, and then paused for a moment, considering. "I took what you said under consideration, Genesis…the element of surprise. There are other ways to catch them unawares, rather than killing them as they awaken from their sleep. And besides," Sephiroth chuckled, his eyes narrowing, "what's the fun in that? I'd like a bit more of a…challenge, shall we say?" he said as he licked his lips in a predatory fashion.

"After what has been done to me, by those bastards," Sephiroth declared, "I shall not simply 'kill' them, Genesis. I intend to make them suffer as much as I possibly can, before finally ending their pathetic lives."

"I assume," Genesis said, "that you're not referring to the group at large, but…to Reno and Cloud, yes?"

"Yes," replied Sephiroth. "And you're going to help me."

"Of course," murmured Genesis. "And…how shall I be helping you?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow bemusedly. "My master strategist," he said, smiling. "I would have thought you'd have figured out my plan by now."

"The plan is," Sephiroth continued, "to capture Reno and Cloud…you shall dispose of Reno, while I deal with Cloud…and we kill them in front of each other…but, oh so slowly. Simple."

Genesis considered this for a moment, and nodded. "Yes," he agreed. "It might not be the most…efficient means," he said, grinning, "but we have a bone to pick with those two."

"I knew you'd see it my way, Gen," Sephiroth whispered, pulling Genesis toward him, and kissing him fiercely. "We shall do this, you and I….tomorrow. At dusk. I prefer working under cover of darkness," he murmured, as his lips curled upward into a cruel smile.

* * *

**Poor Seph, having to listen to Genesis spout passages from LOVELESS, again. Dude. XD**

**This is the first lemon where I actually got **_**myself**_** really worked up while writing it. *blush* Damn. I felt like I was THERE, yo. Ah, if only... XD XD**

**Um…I'm not a deer hunter, but I figured Seph and Genesis had to eat SOMETHING out there, and there's not exactly a Circle K in the Forgotten City.**

**Quite enjoyed making Denzel a little smartass, too. I have a feeling Uncle Reno's going to be a baaaaad influence on that kid. **


	19. In Dreams

**Warnings for this chapter: Yaoi, lemons, language, major angst, non-con stuff, and graphic violence. Don't read further if any of those things bother you. Thanks.**

**Songs quoted within: "The End" – the Doors, and "In Dreams" by Roy Orbison.**

**As always, I do not own song lyrics - they are quoted to set the mood. Nor do I own Final Fantasy, Square Enix does. Woe is me.**

**Bit of revisionist Crisis Core history going on in here...if anyone has questions/needs clarification, please PM me or leave a comment. Thanks!**

**Please read, review, and enjoy! **

* * *

Cloud was hoping he was dreaming. It had to be a dream – he was suspended in the Lifestream, along with Reno, and none of it was making any sense. Not that the Lifestream ever _did_ make sense to Cloud – being immersed in it as he was before, was enough to make his troubled mind splinter, and it was only with Tifa's help that he was able to piece it back together. Now, he was floating around, in the phosphorescent green mist, which seemed to be lit from within – and he was trying to reach Reno. He could see Reno just ahead of him, swimming quickly toward something – or, from something. Cloud tried calling to him, but it was like trying to talk underwater. Yet, he could still breathe freely…what was going on?

Swimming faster, Cloud gained on Reno, and finally got close enough where he could grab him by the ankle. The Turk turned his head back and smiled. "Cloud…you have to let me go," Reno said, his eyes darting around as he glanced at the swirling lights that seemed to be part of the mist that was engulfing them both.

"Let you go?" Cloud cried, horrified. "What…what do you mean, Reno, let you go, I'll never let you go! What are you talking about?"

Reno smiled mysteriously, and touched his hand to Cloud's cheek. "Angel," he murmured. "I have to go now, but…we'll see each other again, I promise. " The Turk smiled, and turned away, swimming into murky darkness.

"No!" Cloud shouted, his hand reaching out as Reno faded from his view. "Reno, don't go, don't leave me! _Reno_!"

The next thing Cloud knew, he was opening his eyes to see a concerned-looking Reno over him, shaking him by the shoulders. "Cloud!" Reno shouted. "Wake up, man, you're dreaming!"

Half-dazed, Cloud began to wake up, and realize where he was. He suddenly sat upright in bed, holding his head in his hands, groaning. "Oh gods, Reno," he moaned. "What an awful, awful dream."

"Shh, it's okay," Reno crooned, cradling Cloud around his shoulders. "It's just a dream, yo….I'm here, baby, I'm here." Reno kissed the top of Cloud's head, and asked, "Want to talk about it?"

"I, um…no, I don't think I want to talk about it," Cloud replied, uncertainly. "It was…too upsetting. I need to forget about it," he muttered.

Reno chuckled, wrapping his arms around Cloud. "I have just the thing for that," he said, smirking, as he turned to lie on his back; then, Reno pulled Cloud down on top of him, kissing him slowly and languorously, as his hands wandered up Cloud's backside, stroking and groping the well-muscled back and shoulders. His fingers ghosted over the slight ridged area over Cloud's shoulder blades, where his currently dormant wings resided.

Cloud responded by straddling Reno, wrapping a leg around his left thigh, and grinding onto him, kissing him and running his fingers through Reno's hair. "Gods….you…are insatiable, Reno, " Cloud murmured, peppering Reno's neck with kisses and hungry licks.

"I could say the same about you, Cloud," Reno said, chuckling. "I can't exactly help it though, you know….whenever I'm around you, I just…lose myself."

Sitting up a bit, Cloud gazed down at Reno, trailing his fingers along Reno's collarbone and chest, making him jump. "I wasn't complaining, Reno," Cloud replied coolly, grinning. "And…I know what you mean…about losing yourself." He pounced on Reno once again, his tongue snaking its way into Reno's mouth, kissing him hungrily. "Mm," Reno moaned, wrapping his arms more tightly around Cloud, whose hand was now wandering down Reno's hips, trying to pull off his boxer shorts. "Take 'em off, Reno," Cloud commanded, smirking.

"Bossy little bitch, aren't ya," Reno replied, grinning, as he yanked off his shorts and tossed them to the side. He slid his hands down the inside of Cloud's underwear, cupping the muscled buttocks and quickly sliding the underwear off. "Ha," Reno said triumphantly, as his hands worked their way over Cloud's ass once again. "Now I've got you where I want you," he murmured.

"I don't think so, Reno," Cloud murmured, reaching his hand in between Reno's legs, and quickly inserting a finger into his ass. "Seems I've got _you_ where I want you…since I'm on top," Cloud said, giggling. Reno's mouth hung open in a small O as he felt Cloud's fingers press upward and inward even further. "Fuck, Cloud," he hissed through his teeth. "You're hard as a fucking tree trunk," he muttered, as he felt Cloud's erection grinding into his own. "Keep doing that shit," Reno warned, "and I am going to completely fucking lose it."

"Isn't that the whole point?" Cloud asked, smiling. He grabbed the lube from the bedside table, and quickly squirted some on his fingers, coating his shaft with the slick substance, groaning as he did so. "Ready?" he asked Reno quietly.

Nodding, Reno bent his legs upward, spreading them even further apart, as Cloud moved ever closer to him. "Hell yeah," he replied dreamily. "I am so fucking ready for you."

"Nothing like a little morning sex," Cloud murmured, grinning, as he guided his cock toward Reno's entrance. Slowly, he teased the tip in a bit further, knowing that the slower he went, the more worked up Reno would get – and, it was helping Cloud to keep his mind off of the awful dream he had.

_~nightmare~_

Shutting out those thoughts that were threatening to invade, Cloud began thrusting in and out of Reno a little bit faster, as Reno bit down hard on Cloud's shoulder and dug his nails into Cloud's back, groaning. "Shit," Reno whispered, arching his back and wrapping his legs around Cloud's hips, "keep…keep going, baby. Fuck!" he moaned.

"I'm not about to stop," Cloud hissed, slamming even harder into Reno, the force of which nearly pushed Reno's skull into the headboard. "Baby, don't give me a concussion," Reno said breathlessly, giggling. "I'm gonna cum…nggggh!" Reno grunted as he came, the warm liquid jettisoning over his stomach, as Cloud continued thrusting. "Almost…there," Cloud panted, gripping Reno by his shoulders as he finally spent his load, and collapsed on top of Reno.

Grinning, Reno ruffled Cloud's hair, and kissed his forehead. "Hot damn," he said. "Now that's how I like to wake up in the morning."

Cloud chuckled, laying his cheek on Reno's chest as he gazed up at him. "Not bad for a quickie, I guess," he commented, laughing.

"Not bad? You guess?" echoed Reno, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, that um…hit the spot, so to speak. Literally." They both laughed softly at this, neither one of them wanting to move out of the bed.

Reluctantly, Cloud sat up, propping himself up on his elbows, and gazed down at Reno. "I've…gotta start making those phone calls soon, you know," he said, frowning slightly.

Reno groaned, but nodded in agreement. "I know," he replied, sighing. "And…I suppose I've gotta call Tseng," he said reluctantly.

"Only if you want to, Reno," Cloud assured him. "I'm not going to press it any further than I have."

"No, I promised you that I would, baby," Reno murmured softly, kissing Cloud gently on the lips. "And I never break my promises."

Cloud's mind suddenly flashed back to the images from his dream; Reno swimming away from him, telling him he 'had to go'—what could that possibly mean? Cloud wondered. His bottom lip began to tremble, and tears threatened to spill, as Cloud he started to recall his nightmare once again, and how helpless he had felt while dreaming.

"Promise…promise you'll never leave me, Reno?" he pleaded tearfully. Cloud couldn't help it; the more he thought about the dream, he began to relive it, and the tears began to fall, splashing onto Reno's chest. The redhead was caught off guard, and quite shocked by Cloud's plea, which seemed to have come out of nowhere. "Baby, what's this all about?" Reno asked Cloud worriedly, hugging him tightly. "I'm not going anywhere, why would you think that? I love you, and I'm never leaving you, Cloud."

"I—I know, Reno," Cloud sniffled. "I love you too, Reno, it's just…" He broke off the sentence, not wanting to tell Reno anything about his terrible dream. "I just…feel like something bad is about to happen."

Sighing, Reno sat up in the bed, and cupped Cloud's chin, forcing him to look up at him. "This isn't some sort of…Cetra premonition, is it?" he asked. Cloud shook his head negatively. "No," he replied. "That's not it."

"Well," Reno continued, "there's no denying it, something bad is going to happen – whenever Sephiroth decides to come after us," he said grimly. "But remember what I said, yo – you and me, we'll get through this."

"I know, Reno…you're right," Cloud agreed_. I hope you're right…_

"I'm just…worried, that's all," Cloud continued. "I guess we all are…worrying about this."

"Yeah," Reno said, nodding. "Ain't that the truth. So," he said, extricating himself from Cloud and getting out of bed, "why don't we get showered and get this shit rolling. Oh, and baby? Can you make me one of those omelets for breakfast, with the bacon and shit?" he implored sweetly.

"Bacon and shit?" Cloud replied, laughing. "Yeah, I think I can do that." He slowly got himself out of bed, following Reno into the shower, but still unable to shake the dream image of Reno swimming away from him…almost as if he had been swimming out of existence.

* * *

After showering, the two had breakfast. "Ohh," Reno groaned, shifting uncomfortably in his chair after eating. "I can't move, yo."

"I told you that you'd get sick of my cooking," Cloud teased.

"That's not it at all," Reno replied, leaning back in his chair. "Dude, there's only two of us – and you make enough food for a family of five, every time we eat!" he commented, chuckling.

"Are you complaining?" Cloud asked, grinning. "You certainly acted like you enjoyed it, you know!"

"No, it was good, yo!" Reno replied, not wanting to hurt Cloud's feelings. "But it's just too much, man. You're going to make me faaaat," he wailed comically.

"Um, I don't think that's ever going to happen, Reno," Cloud said, chuckling. "Besides…I'm sure we can think of ways to work it off, right?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at Reno.

Reno snorted. "And you call me insatiable? Hah!"

Cloud grinned, leaning back and relaxing in his chair. Everything - apart from the bad dream he had earlier – everything just felt so _right_ to him now. He and Reno were living together, and Cloud couldn't remember a time in his life when he'd been happier. Yet….

_Yet_. Cloud couldn't shake that nagging feeling that something 'bad' was about to happen. _Reno would tell me 'don't chase trouble'_, Cloud mused, grimacing. _I don't really have to chase it though, do I…it always seems to find me, eventually._

"Gaia to Cloud!" Reno was waving his hands in front of Cloud's face, trying to get his attention. "Yo, man, where'd you go just now?" Reno asked him, smirking, as Cloud finally realized Reno was talking to him. "Were you off visiting Zack and Aerith for a minute?" he teased.

Shaking his head slowly, Cloud replied, "No…I was just…thinking. It's nothing," he said hastily, wanting to change the subject. "We do need to get going…well, I need to, anyway – I'm going to call our friends, maybe have everyone meet at Tifa's this afternoon."

Reno sighed. "Yeah, well…I guess I'll call Tseng, then," he said reluctantly. "He may have intel on Sephiroth that we'll need, anyway."

"Thank you, Reno," Cloud said quietly, taking one of Reno's hands in his own and gently caressing it. "I know you don't exactly want to do this…it means a lot to me."

"I'll do anything for you, Cloud," Reno murmured, locking eyes with Cloud. "Even if it means having to talk to that rat fink bastard," he said, laughing. "But, tell me this," he asked, curiously. "Why does it mean so much to you if I patch things up with Tseng?"

Without hesitating, Cloud replied, "Because you're a Turk, Reno. You will always be a Turk, even if you say you've quit; you can't. You'll go back, I can see it. It's in your blood…it's just part of who you are."

Reno raised an eyebrow at this. "I am not going back, Cloud," he said firmly, shaking his head. "Now, I'm willing to talk to Tseng…maybe even listen…but there is no way I'm going to be reinstated as a Turk. I already gave my notice. I can't go back after that."

"And why not?" argued Cloud. "Hell, I threw you out of our apartment not twenty-four hours ago. Yet, here we are...together again. After I was a complete asshole to you, you forgave me, even if I didn't deserve it."

"You know, Reno, I was never one for forgiveness myself," Cloud continued. "All my life, I've wanted revenge. Revenge on the kids who picked on me when I was growing up in Nibelheim. Revenge on Sephiroth for burning my hometown to the ground, which killed my mother….and then when he killed Aerith. And…what happened in the cave. But what did Tseng do to you that was so bad?" Cloud asked. "I'm not…saying you shouldn't be pissed or anything, but seriously, Reno…oh, I don't know," muttered Cloud. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be telling you what to think or anything like that."

The Turk leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table, and sighed. "No, I get what you're saying, Cloud…I mean, it's not like Tseng…is anything like Sephiroth_." Yeah… at least Tseng didn't fucking rape me_, Reno thought angrily. "I know what you mean, Cloud, it's just…I'm going to be pissed for a while. Maybe a _long_ while. I can tolerate a lot of things, but when someone causes me to distrust them…someone I've worked with for years…I just have a big problem with that."

"That's understandable," Cloud replied, nodding. "And you have every right to be pissed…Tseng fucked up. Maybe his intentions were good, but he went about it wrong."

"Shit," muttered Reno irritably. "Can we just stop fucking talking about this? I'm just going to call Tseng right now, and be done with it."

"Okay," Cloud agreed. "I'll…start phoning everyone else." He picked up the kitchen phone and began dialing Tifa's number, while Reno quietly went to the living room, cell phone in hand, to make his call. "Hey Tifa, it's me," he began. "Just calling to touch base about meeting up later today…"

Reno slinked out to the living room, cell phone out, with Tseng's phone number queued up and ready to dial, yet he hesitated. _Really don't want to make this call_, he thought. Sighing, he hit the 'call' button to dial the number.

"Tseng speaking," came the voice on the other end of the line. Reno paused, still not saying anything…not wanting to say anything.

"Hello, who is this?" Tseng asked irritably.

"Tseng…it's me, Reno," the Turk said quietly. "Just…thought I'd call."

"Reno!" Tseng replied excitedly. "How are you doing? I'm surprised to hear from you."

"Yeah," Reno replied, flatly. "Um…look, I'm still pissed, but…I wanted to see if you have any intel on Sephiroth's whereabouts. Cloud is getting concerned that…the bastard might be coming for us sooner rather than later."

"Of course," replied Tseng. "Well…we can do this on the phone, or…?"

Reno sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was to meet Tseng in person, but it was starting to feel like such a meeting might be inevitable. "Look, Tseng," Reno began, "I'm not wanting to meet up with you for coffee, and shoot the shit like old times. We'll be at Tifa's later today; if you show up, cool, if not then….well, sayanora." Before waiting for a reply, Reno closed his phone shut. _Of course Tseng will show up_, he thought. _And so will Valentine, _he remembered grimly. _I've got a few choice words for him, too._

"Yo, Cloud!" Reno called over to him. "It's all set. Tseng'll probably be at Tifa's later, with whatever intel he has on Sephiroth."

Cloud nodded as he emerged from the kitchen. "Good," he said. "We may need his help. So," Cloud continued, "we're meeting at Tifa's later this afternoon."

"Yeah," answered Reno. "I told Tseng we'd be there later today, so he knows where to find us. So…what are we doing with the rest of our day, baby?" Reno asked, grinning slyly, as he sidled up to Cloud and wrapped him tightly in his arms.

"Well," Cloud replied, kissing Reno lightly on the lips, "there is the small matter of moving the rest of your shit over here."

"Oh, fuck," groaned Reno, frowning. "Can't we just burn the rest? I took all my CD's, clothes…cigarettes, booze….everything else is filler, yo."

Cloud laughed out loud. "Oh Reno, I love you," he said, grinning.

"I love you too, babe," Reno replied. "I still wonder why you're so crazy about me, though, you know?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Reno?" Cloud scoffed. "Why are you even asking that question?"

"Well…I don't know!" Reno said, laughing. "Because…of who I am. I'm rude, I'm crude, I sing kind of crazy, I dance worse, I swear too much, I _definitely_ drink and smoke too much… and I drive like a motherfucker."

"And that's exactly _why_ I love you, stupid," Cloud retorted, kissing Reno again. "Because you're _you_. Come on…let's get your shit…and if we have to burn any of it, Reno?"

"Yeah, what?" Reno replied absently, as Cloud dragged him out toward the door.

"If we do have to burn any of it – don't do it _inside_ the apartment?" Cloud pleaded. "You'll lose your security deposit, for sure." Reno laughed as he locked the door behind them. "Yeah," he agreed. "That'd suck."

* * *

Genesis was usually up and about before Sephiroth was each day, but this morning had been different. The general was woken by noisy crows that were circling off in the distance, no doubt looking for any remains of the deer carcass. Groaning and stretching as he got out of the somewhat uncomfortable and lumpy bed, Sephiroth almost didn't notice that Genesis was still lying underneath the bedclothes, not moving. For some reason, this alarmed him enough to want to rouse his sleeping lover.

"Gen," Sephiroth murmured softly near Genesis's ear, running his hand gently through the russet hair – now suddenly tinged with silvery white strands. _White hair?_ Sephiroth puzzled_. Since when…does Genesis have white hair? And his skin…has a strange cast to it. Is he ill? _

"Mmmfff," Genesis mumbled sleepily. "What…what time is it?" he asked, yawning, as he sat up slightly in the bed.

"It's well past dawn," Sephiroth replied, grinning, his fingers still trailing through Genesis's hair. "Gen?" he began, frowning. "Your…hair, Genesis, it's…"

"What, Seph?" Genesis asked. "Something…wrong?"

"Well, nothing, I supposed, I just…noticed that you have some white strands of hair mixed in, and I don't remember seeing them before. It's quite becoming, actually," Sephiroth said, smiling.

"Oh gods," Genesis groaned, sitting up straight and running his fingers through his hair. "It's started already," he muttered.

"What?" Sephiroth asked, quizzically. "What's started already Gen, what are you talking about?"

Sighing, Genesis sank back down on the bed, his bared back facing Sephiroth. The general sat there silently, as he observed the back muscles tensing; clearly, something was troubling Genesis.

"Degradation, Seph," Genesis muttered, casting a brief backward glance at Sephiroth. "Degradation. That's what I'm talking about. I am…degrading. Being a failed experiment as I am." He laughed bitterly.

"What do you mean by degradation, Genesis?" Sephiroth demanded. "Please, tell me. I'm…concerned. Are you ill?"

Genesis gave a short, barking laugh. "Am I ill…hmm, I suppose you could say that. Sephiroth," he continued, bracing his hands on the general's shoulders, and locking eyes with him, "I'm degrading. It's…because of those experiments Hollander did on me – the Jenova cells…what happened to Angeal…is now happening to me."

"Fucking Hollander," Sephiroth snarled. "Don't mention that name – or Hojo's – again, please. The knowledge of what I am….what we both are, at the hands of those two…"

"Seph, please don't upset yourself," Genesis pleaded. "We've gone over that many times; there's nothing we can do about it now, and both of those bastards are dead, thank Gaia. Now we must carry on…with our plan, and deal with any…possible setbacks as we're able."

"Possible setbacks, Genesis?" Sephiroth sputtered. "Degradation is a bit more serious than a possible setback. I worry for you. But wait!" he continued, brightening. "What of the Goddess materia? Won't that stop…or at least halt the degradation? So the legend tells us."

"That is what the legend proclaims, yes," Genesis said, looking dubious. "But…I've been trying, Seph. I've been trying to do…something with the Goddess materia, and it's no good." He shifted and broke eye contact with Sephiroth, suddenly steering his gaze toward the ground.

"What do you mean, Genesis?" Sephiroth demanded. "You're holding something back, now out with it," he ordered.

"I mean," Genesis said, a bit morosely, "that the power of the Goddess materia…it's finite. It won't grow as other materia does. I may very well have used much of its power in resurrecting you."

Sephiroth fell back on the bed, stunned at the realization of Genesis's words. "So you mean," he said bitterly, "by using the materia to bring me back…you may have cost yourself the only cure for degradation? You...will end up sacrificing yourself for _me_?" Sephiroth asked, incredulously.

Nodding, Genesis sat back on the bed weakly. He knew his body was starting to break down and weaken, but he was doing everything he could to hold himself together; he didn't want to let onto Sephiroth just how badly he felt, physically. "We must see this through," Genesis began, his voice faltering, "we must...seek retribution on those who have wronged us..." Genesis suddenly clutched his abdomen, doubling over in pain, shrieking as he did so; Sephiroth was immediately at his side. "Genesis," the general said hoarsely. "Talk to me...tell me what I can do. What if...what if," he continued desperately, "didn't the Cetra...have the power to unlock the magic of the goddess materia?"

Genesis frowned at this. "You're talking about Strife, aren't you," he asked tiredly. "Gods, Sephiroth, really...Cloud is not going to assist us - after what you did to him, for one thing - and, his only goal all along has been to destroy you...to destroy _us_. No," Genesis said firmly, grazing his fingers against Sephiroth's chin, and forcing the general to look at him. "I won't let you ask him. Besides...Strife is not a full-blooded Cetra, either. He may not have enough power to do anything. From what I have seen, he is far weaker than Aerith was, and she was only half Cetra herself."

"Gen, I must at least try this, it seems to be our last resort," Sephiroth argued. "And I'm not going to 'ask' Cloud, either," he cautioned. "I realize that he will not help us...of his own volition. So I will have to use some leverage against him."

"What...leverage, Seph?" Genesis asked, a coughing fit suddenly taking hold of him. He sputtered and gasped as Sephiroth put an arm around him and rubbed his back. "I'm okay...I'm okay, my love. Thank you," Genesis said gratefully. "Say again...what were you saying about leverage against Cloud?" he asked.

Sephiroth lay back on the bed, cradling Genesis to his chest, and stroking his hair. "By leverage," he said, "I mean I will use his relationship with the Turk against him. I will kidnap Reno and hold him hostage, and force Cloud to do our bidding."

"And then what?" Genesis asked, already knowing Sephiroth's answer.

"And then I kill them both," Sephiroth replied simply. "Just as we had originally planned."

"I'm not going to delay this, Genesis," Sephiroth said decisively. "I'll leave now. Your condition is…worsening, and I'm concerned."

"Sephiroth, please," Genesis pleaded. "You're wasting your time, Cloud can't help…he doesn't have that kind of power…just let me die in peace, if that is the end result of the degradation…"

"Nonsense!" Sephiroth barked angrily. "Stop being so dramatic, Genesis, you're not going to die. I won't allow it. I'm not going to change my mind; I'm heading to Edge right now, and I'll be back here soon." With that, Sephiroth's single black wing emerged from his back, and he took off to the skies, leaving a shower of black feathers in his wake.

_You won't allow me to die? _Genesis thought, a bemused smirk on his face as he sank back down weakly onto the pile of pillows. _Oh Sephiroth, you've gone mad again…and this time, it's all my fault. I should never have reopened that door…should never have told you how I brought you back from the dead._

_

* * *

_

Everyone had been summoned, from all over Gaia, to meet at Tifa's basement hideout in the late afternoon. Yuffie and Vincent had been visiting Godo, Yuffie 's father, in Wutai. The man was none too pleased to learn that his daughter was now in a relationship with Vincent, who was considerably older. Vincent and Yuffie wisely decided not to elaborate on the fact that technically, Vincent was thirty years older than he appeared. Godo finally realized that his daughter seemed happy...and, much to his amazement, a bit more mature, so he eventually gave his blessing to the couple.

Cid begrudgingly showed up to the meeting as well, along with Barret and Nanaki. The latter two had been working together with Barret's oil prospecting venture. Nanaki was on hand to make sure Barret's drilling sites didn't disrupt the ecology of the surrounding areas. There were a few times when Barret didn't quite see eye-to-eye with Nanaki's environmentalism, but he stubbornly held his ground against Barret each time, and quietly earned the man's respect after a few such exchanges.

Tifa and Rude, naturally, were already at Seventh Heaven when everyone converged. She had arranged for coverage already, knowing that the meeting would take her full attention. When Cloud had called her earlier, saying he needed to meet with everyone "to discuss Sephiroth", Tifa knew the situation must be coming to a head. She found herself torn between a desire to help an old friend…and to protect her unborn child.

Tseng and Elena arrived next. "I'm glad you and Cloud called this meeting," Tseng told Tifa. "There have been some developments lately." Lowering his voice, Tseng told the group, "Genesis has been sighted in Edge."

Vincent cocked an eyebrow at this and asked , "When? Was he alone?"

"He was alone," Tseng replied, nodding. "My scouts tell me that they believe Genesis…has begun degrading. And very rapidly, too. "

"Oh, that's good, right?" Yuffie interjected hopefully. "Will that happen to Sephiroth too?"

Tseng shook his head negatively. "Doubtful. Genesis was an imperfect experiment…and Sephiroth was considered the only 'perfect' Jenova experiment. And we still don't know how the goddess materia affected Sephiroth, either. It may have increased his powers, or…it could affect him negatively. We still don't know."

Tifa glanced at her watch, then looked over to Rude, trying to draw his attention. "Rude," she hissed. "Where are Reno and Cloud?"

The Turk shrugged his shoulders. "I'll call Reno now," he said, reaching into his jacket for his cell phone.

* * *

Reno and Cloud had spent most of the afternoon moving small furniture and other items from Reno's apartment into Cloud's. The two apartments were only a few blocks from each other, but Reno's packrat tendencies meant a lot of back and forth trips hauling junk to the dumpster, along with Reno wasting time fretting over parting with his 'collections.'

"See this, Cloud?" Reno said, as he sorted through a drawer full of old ticket stubs. "This here, this was the first concert I ever went to. Satan's Jockstrap, and the opening act was Epic Tower of Angst…that show was fucking kick _ass_, yo."

"Ooh, I like Epic Tower of Angst," Cloud commented, suddenly interested. "Those guys are really good. But honestly, Reno – do you need to keep _all_ of those ticket stubs? There have to be about a hundred in there."

Sighing, Reno shrugged. "Well, maybe I don't need _all_ of them," he admitted. "But I'm definitely keeping this one," he said, holding the stub aloft.

"You're a hoarder," Cloud teased, grinning. "As long as you don't hoard crazy shit like….I don't know, spoons, or….cats."

Reno laughed. "Cats? Yeah, right? I'll be one of those crazy cat hoarders. Uh, you don't have to worry about that, Cloud. But maybe we should get a dog, you think?" he asked.

"A—what?" Cloud asked, gaping. "A dog? Where did that come from?"

"I'm just kidding, yo," Reno answered, smiling. "Well, sort of. I just thought, since we're being all domestic and shit, we should get a dog. Or, we could just have Nanaki move in with us," he said, laughing

"Don't let Nanaki hear you call him a _dog_, Reno," Cloud warned. "I made that mistake once…he never let me forget it, either."

"Wait a minute, then," said Reno, pausing. "If Nanaki isn't a dog, then what the fuck _is_ he?"

Cloud laughed. "I honestly don't know, Reno," he replied, grinning. "And I'm not about to ask him, either, not since he chewed my head off last time I brought up the subject."

"Shit!" Cloud said suddenly, glancing at the clock. "Um, speaking of Nanaki? We're late for our meeting. We've got to go, we can get the rest later, Reno. Let's just take one box for now," Cloud said, as he grabbed a small packing box full of paperback books.

"Oh, fuck, man," complained Reno, standing up and fishing around his pants pockets for his keys. "I was enjoying this, sorting through all my shit. And I am _not_ looking forward to talking with Tseng, yo," Reno muttered.

"I know," Cloud said, sighing resignedly. "You've made that quite clear, Reno."

"Eh, sorry Cloud," Reno said, grinning, as he locked the apartment door behind him. "I know you're sick of hearing me go on and on about it…"

"It's okay, Reno," Cloud replied. "After everything you've done for me, the least I can do is listen to you bitch and moan all the time," he said, chuckling.

"Don't be a dick, Cloud," Reno retorted, grinning. "Okay. Let's blow this joint, off to Tifa's." They exited the apartment building, and began the block and a half walk to Seventh Heaven. "Damn, it got cold out, all of a sudden," Reno observed, shivering slightly. He felt his cell phone vibrate, and reached into his pants pocket to answer the call. "It's Rude," Reno told Cloud. "Hey, yo, Rude - I know we're late, we're on our way—"

Cloud was walking alongside Reno as he chatted away with Rude, when he suddenly saw a shadow fall across their path, and a swath of black feathers seemed to fall from the sky. "Reno!" Cloud shouted, alarmed, as he glanced up and saw exactly who was casting the shadow. _Sephiroth_.

"Hello, Cloud," Sephiroth said, smirking, as he slowly descended and touched down to the ground. He approached the pair and blocked their path. "My, my, Genesis was right, you _have_ grown rather careless."

"What the fuck!" Reno yelled, still on the phone with Rude. "Rude, it's fucking Sephiroth, he's _here_! Closest cross street to us, we're near Loveless Avenue—" Reno sputtered, trying to give Rude their location. Sephiroth reached out quickly and knocked the cell phone out of Reno's hand, shattering it. "You fucker!" Reno snapped. "That was a new phone!"

Sephiroth chuckled. "Only you, Reno, would be worried about your bloody phone, at a time like this. And what's all this?" he questioned, pointing at the box Cloud was carrying. "Having a rummage sale?"

"It's none of your damned business," Cloud retorted, tightening his grip on the box; he instinctively moved himself in front of Reno, as if to shield him. "What do you want, Sephiroth?" he demanded.

"I want…_you_, Cloud," Sephiroth purred. "Oh, not in _that_ way, Turk, fear not," Sephiroth replied, laughing, as he noticed Reno glaring at him furiously. "I've already _had_ him, as you know," he said, chuckling. "He was quite…submissive."

"You motherfucker," Reno snarled. "Get out of our fucking way, or I'll—"

"You'll do _what_, Reno?" Sephiroth interrupted, cocking his head curiously at Reno. "You're both unarmed right now…unless you planned on throwing those books at me?" Sephiroth chuckled heartily.

_Shit_, Cloud thought. _Should have brought Fenrir…I would have had my sword with me…_

"I'll ask you again. What do you _want_, Sephiroth?" Cloud demanded.

"I need your help, Cloud," Sephiroth replied. "Seeing as you are truly the last Cetra, you are the only one who can help me."

Cloud gave a short laugh. "You want _me_ to help _you_?" he said incredulously. "I don't think so, Sephiroth. After everything you've put me and Reno through…and our friends…"

Sighing, Sephiroth said, "I thought you might react that way, Cloud. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but you leave me no alternative." The general quickly unsheathed his masamune sword, and swiftly dashed behind Reno, restraining the Turk's arms enough so that he couldn't move, and held the point of the massive sword at Reno's throat. "Cloud, don't do it, whatever he's asking you…it can't be anything good, just…don't help him," Reno begged.

"Shut up, Turk," Sephiroth hissed, slamming the back of his head with the flat edge of his hand.

"Reno!" Cloud cried. "What…what do you need me to do, Sephiroth? And if I do this...whatever it is…you'd better not fucking hurt him!"

"I don't have much time," Sephiroth stated. "The gist of it is this: Genesis is dying. We have the goddess materia, and I believe that you, being part Cetra, are the only one on Gaia who can unlock the hidden magic within the materia."

"Hidden magic? Goddess materia?" Cloud echoed. "I…I don't know anything about it, but I can try."

"Good. We'll be in the Forgotten City," Sephiroth told him, clutching Reno under his arm as he swooped his wing in a huge arc, lifting off. "Find us there, and Genesis will tell you what to do."

"Cloud!" Reno shouted, flailing in Sephiroth's grasp as he was lifted further off the ground.

"Oh gods, Reno," Cloud groaned, fighting back tears as he saw Reno disappear into the sky. He was suddenly aware of a commotion around him; everyone who had been gathered at Seventh Heaven appeared, finally figuring out where Reno had been calling from. Everyone was staring helplessly at the horizon, at the departing figures of Reno and Sephiroth.

"Cloud!" Tifa cried fearfully, as she ran up to him. "What just happened?"

"He kidnapped Reno," Cloud replied dully. "I…have to go to him."

"Of course," interjected Tseng. "What can I do, Cloud…we are all here to help."

"I don't even know where to begin," said Cloud. "I guess…let's get our weapons together, for one thing. We're going to the Forgotten City. Sephiroth….said that Genesis is dying, and he thinks I'm the only one who can help him."

"Gods," muttered Vincent. "He's really desperate…"

"Obviously," Cloud retorted sarcastically. "Look…I have to go, I have to try and do…whatever it is Sephiroth wants. I don't even know if I can, but…he's got Reno, what else am I supposed to do?" he said, choking back tears.

"Cloud, I know," Tifa said soothingly, putting her arm around him. "But this time, you're not going alone, we're all going with you."

"Not you, Tifa, please," Cloud begged. "Not…not with a baby on the way. Rude? Can you…make sure Tifa and the kids are safe? Denzel and Marlene too….take them to Mideel if you have to, just…get them far, far away from everything."

"But Cloud—" Tifa protested.

"No, Tifa," Rude interrupted. "Cloud's right…I don't want you in the middle of this. I know you want to help, but please." In a rare move, Rude took off his sunglasses, and locked eyes with Tifa. "Please, Tifa, think of our baby," he pleaded.

"Okay. Okay, you're right," Tifa agreed tearfully. "I'm sorry, Cloud, I can't…"

"It's okay, Tifa," Cloud replied, smiling softly. "I know you would if you could. And Rude…thank you."

"Mmpf," grunted Rude, sliding his sunglasses back onto his head. "Anytime."

"Everyone else," Cloud began, addressing the rest of the group. "I'm going to need you. Let's gather any weapons we need, then…meet back here, I guess? Cid," he said, turning to him. "Can you fly us to the Forgotten City?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely," replied Cid, as he lit a cigarette. "I'll head back to the airport now and fuel 'er up. You knuckleheads call me when you're en route."

"Will do," Cloud affirmed. "Thanks Cid." He waved to Cid as the aviator departed immediately.

"What's our plan, Cloud?" Barret asked. "Now, we gotta be careful, 'specially if Sephiroth is holding Reno hostage…"

"I _know_ that, Barret," Cloud replied, clenching his jaw. "Vincent…what do you think? I think it'd be better if I approach Sephiroth alone, to start…see what he wants. Then if I need backup, I'll call on you guys."

Vincent nodded. "Of course, we'll be right there standing by," the former Turk said. "We'll remain hidden, until you need us. Tseng? Can you outfit Cloud with an earpiece?"

"I can do that," Tseng said, nodding. "Elena, I think you have several in your bag, can you get one out for Cloud?"

"Sure thing, boss," she agreed, rummaging through her duffel bag.

"Cloud," Tseng began, "I really must…apologize to you, for keeping you and Reno in the dark before. Vincent and I felt it was the best decision at the time."

"I know," Cloud replied, smiling. "It's okay, I get it. I don't think Reno gets it yet, though, so…when you see him, you may want to talk to him."

"I plan on it," Tseng replied quietly. "Okay, Elena's got your earpiece here – it's invisible, just slip it in as if it were an earplug," he said, as Elena handed it over to Cloud.

"It'll pick up your audio, too," Elena told him. "So we'll have to work out a code word, for when you want us to move in."

"Okay," agreed Cloud. "It'll have to be something…that won't come up in normal conversation."

"You were planning on having a _normal_ conversation with Sephiroth, Cloud?" Yuffie asked, grinning. "Uh, sorry," she said sheepishly, as Vincent glared at her. "But seriously!"

"How about…." Cloud mused, "why don't we use 'diggity'. If you hear me say that word, that's when I'll need backup."

"Diggity?" Yuffie echoed, giggling. "Cute. I think we'll all remember that. But seriously, Cloud," she continued, sobering, "anything you need…Vincent and I…well, we're here for you," she said, reaching out for Vincent's hand and holding it. Vincent smiled at Yuffie and nodded.

"Thanks, Yuffie," Cloud replied. "Everyone, really…thank you all. I know I fucked things up last time I had to go after Sephiroth. But this time…I know for certain he has Reno, it's not just some ruse, like before. There's so much at stake here," Cloud continued, trying to keep his voice steady. "We…just have to be really, really careful."

"Cloud," Tifa said softly, as she gave him a hug. "Rude's taking us now, I guess…he'll call Tseng when we're safely settled, okay?"

"Good," Cloud replied hugging Tifa back. "I'm glad you're not going to be in the middle of this…if anything ever happened to you or your baby, I'd never forgive myself…"

"See, and now nothing will happen, so there's nothing to forgive," Tifa said, smiling. She gave Cloud a quick kiss on the cheek. "Bye, Cloud." She waved good-bye to everyone, and headed back upstairs with Rude planning to get the children packed and ready to go.

"Bye, Tifa." Sighing, Cloud turned to the rest of the group. "Well, let's mosey," he said. "Time to get to Cid's."

"I'll drive y'all," Barret offered, grabbing his car keys off of the television stand .

"Oh dear," muttered Nanaki, silent up until now. "I was afraid he'd make that offer." Vincent, Yuffie, and Cloud laughed softly, as they all filed out of Tifa's basement, and headed upstairs, with Tseng and Elena following close behind.

* * *

As much as Reno normally enjoyed flying in his helicopter, he was absolutely petrified the moment his feet left the ground. Sephiroth had an iron-like grip on him, and the higher they flew in the sky, the colder it got. Ice crystals were starting to form on the tip of Reno's nose, and his teeth were chattering. _I'm going to get frostbite because of this fucker_, he thought angrily. His hatred and rage toward Sephiroth served to warm him though, albeit temporarily. In the distance, Reno could see the sun dipping into the horizon. Under any other circumstance, the sight would have been beautiful.

Reno briefly wondered if this might be the last sunset he'd ever see, then quickly pushed the thought from his mind. _No_, he thought, determinedly. _I won't let this bastard get the best of me…he's taken too much from me already, and Cloud...what he did to Cloud… _

Sephiroth flew on through the twilight sky, his wing never seeming to tire, as he soared without stopping. Squinting, Reno could make out what looked like Bone Village in the distance. _We're getting closer_, he thought, with some trepidation.

The general flapped his wing in a slow arc, preparing for his descent. "We're nearly there, Turk," he muttered, gripping Reno even more tightly as he shifted. Sephiroth touched down on the ground surprisingly softly; the easy landing impressed even Reno.

"Good landing, yo," Reno said, almost automatically. He frowned at the general, saying, "For what it's worth, that is…asshole."

"Hmpf," Sephiroth grunted, grabbing Reno by the upper arm and wrenching it behind his back. "Don't expect any luxury here, Turk," he warned, as he led Reno into the bowels of the Forgotten City, where Genesis lay waiting in his sickbed.

"Watch it, freak," Reno muttered as Sephiroth jerked his arm back again roughly. Sephiroth growled at him. "You would do well to mind your manners, _Turk_," he hissed.

"My name's Reno, jackhole," Reno snapped. "As I'm sure you know. Stop calling me Turk."

"Ha!" grunted Sephiroth, as they came to the cottage hideout. "We're here…finally." They entered the cottage, and Sephiroth shoved Reno in front of him, knocking him down to his knees.

"Genesis, I've returned," Sephiroth announced. "I've brought my…leverage with me," he said, smiling cruelly. Grabbing Reno by the back of his jacket, Sephiroth brought out some rope, and, forcing Reno to sit in a kitchen chair, bound Reno's hands to each other tightly, behind his back. "Ow, you fucker!" shouted Reno, as pain shot through his shoulders.

"As I said, Reno," Sephiroth muttered, "don't expect any luxury here. _Or_ kindness, for that matter." The general then turned toward the bed where Genesis was lying, half asleep. _His hair has grown even whiter_, Sephiroth fretted. _Oh, Genesis…I hope we're not too late…I hope the filthy Cetra can somehow help you…_

"Genesis," Sephiroth called softly. "Are you awake?"

Turning over on his side to face Sephiroth, Genesis nodded. "I am. I've been…resting quite a bit. Sephiroth…why did you bring Reno here? I told you…leave it alone, let me die…"

"No, Genesis!" Sephiroth snapped, reaching out to stroke Genesis's face. It concerned Sephiroth, how much worse Genesis looked, just since the short time he had been gone. His face held a deathly pallor; the lips were cracked and dry looking. As much as Sephiroth didn't want to admit it to himself, Genesis's condition was deteriorating rapidly.

"Don't you even think of talking like that," Sephiroth insisted. "Cloud will come, he has to come…now that I'm holding his Turk lover hostage."

"You know, I'm still out here…I can hear you in there," Reno called from the other room. "You asshole," he muttered under his breath.

Sephiroth roared angrily. "I should have gagged him when I had the chance!" he shouted. Charging into the room, the general drew his hand forward, then backhanded Reno across the mouth, cutting his lip, smearing the blood across Reno's chin. Spitting blood out of his mouth onto the floor, Reno smirked cockily at Sephiroth. "That the best you got, motherfucker?" he taunted.

"Oh, did I hurt your pretty little mouth, Turk?" Sephiroth said mockingly, tracing his fingers over Reno's bloodied lips, drawing his hand away quickly as Reno tried to snap his teeth at the intruding digits. "Hmpf," Sephiroth grunted. "I've got something that'll shut you up." The general quickly unbuckled his pants and hitched them down, withdrawing his cock, which was quickly becoming engorged. Reno's eyes widened as he realized what Sephiroth was about to do. "No, you dirty fucking bastard, don't you even think about it!" Reno yelled. He began shifting around in his chair, trying to free himself from the ropes, but to no avail. Sephiroth kicked Reno in the shins to stop him from moving. "Ow, you shithead!" Reno cried, wincing.

Smiling cruelly, Sephiroth pulled Reno by the hair, yanking his head backwards, and thrust his member into Reno's open mouth. "Mmmph!" Reno spluttered, trying to move his head back and away from Sephiroth. He couldn't move much, however; the general still had a firm grip on Reno's hair, and began fucking Reno's mouth in earnest. "Oh yes," Sephiroth groaned. "This is a much better use of that pretty little mouth, rather than all that cursing you do, Reno," he teased. "Tell me, do you suck Cloud like this? Or, does Cloud prefer to service you? I'd _love _to hear more details about it…"

By now, Reno was gagging, and close to vomiting, as the general relentlessly pounded his cock into the back of Reno's throat. Knowing no other alternative, Reno bit down as hard as he could, in order to stop the assault. "Fuck!" shouted Sephiroth, grunting in pain, and immediately withdrawing himself from Reno's mouth. "You stupid shit!" Choking and gasping, Reno responded by emptying the contents of his stomach onto the general's boots. "There you go," Reno said, coughing and spluttering as he glared at Sephiroth. "You fucking soulless bastard."

Still grimacing in pain, Sephiroth pulled his pants back up, and scowled at Reno. "You disgust me, Turk," he hissed.

"Sephiroth," Genesis called weakly. "Please…stop this madness…I am…dying….it's too late…too late…"

* * *

The flight to the Forgotten Capital had been uneventful, and mostly silent. Everyone felt a sense of déjà vu, naturally, but the tension was even higher than the last time. This time, the group knew fairly well what they'd be walking into.

Cid landed the aircraft easily, just north of Bone Village, and announced that he was preparing to open the doors to let everyone out. Cloud was growing impatient; he wanted to get there _now_, and the sooner the better. He suddenly thought of an idea, and was annoyed with himself that he hadn't thought of it sooner.

"Guys," Cloud called to the group, as everyone headed toward the exit. "I need to get there now, I need to see…if Reno is okay."

"How're you going to get there before us, run?" scoffed Cid, as he unlocked the door.

"No," Cloud replied, slowing his breath as he concentrated, squinting his eyes slightly. _Come on_, he urged himself silently. After a few moments, Cloud's wings burst through the back of his shirt, the right one nearly hitting Yuffie in the face. "Hey!" she cried, jumping back.

"Sorry, Yuffie," Cloud said, grinning. "I'm not going to run, Cid, I'm going to fly." He grabbed his sword bag containing both his Buster Sword and the fusion swords, and threw it over his back, cinching it tightly.

"Fuckin' A!" crowed Cid encouragingly, holding the cargo door open for Cloud. "You go, Cloud, kick that motherfucker's ass but good…and go get Reno back safe."

Cloud nodded. "I will," he said, as he took a running start, then sweeping his wings back, achieved immediate liftoff. _Can't be far from here_, he thought, as he flew in a semicircle around the conch-like structure within the Forgotten City. _Tseng had said they were deep inside the old city_, Cloud thought, remembering what the Turk had told him about the intel his operatives had gathered regarding Sephiroth's location.

_And this is where the Cetra lived_, Cloud suddenly realized. _My…people. My people I never knew. People Jenova all but exterminated. _

Approaching what seemed to be a small row of old, abandoned Cetra homes, Cloud slowed his pace. He noticed one was lit from within, and thought he heard voices inside_. Better approach quietly_, he thought. Cloud landed softly on the ground, and began retracting his wings, as he crept quietly toward the occupied cottage. He saw Sephiroth pacing back and forth through the window, and clenched his jaw, furiously. _You bastard_, Cloud thought, furiously. _You better not have harmed Reno…_

Slowly, Cloud made his way toward the side door, and entered quietly. His heart fell when he saw Reno, tied to a chair, his face beaten and bloodied. Sephiroth was still pacing back and forth in the room where Genesis was lying in bed, unaware that Cloud was there. "Reno," Cloud whispered to the semi-conscious Turk. He crept over to Reno, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Reno. I'm here."

Raising his head to look at Cloud, Reno grinned weakly. "Oh, thank Gaia you're here," Reno murmured. "Oh Cloud," Reno sniffled. "He—he made me—"

"What, Reno," Cloud demanded, still whispering. "What did he make you do?"

"Oh gods, Cloud," Reno moaned. "He didn't –he didn't rape me, but…it was bad."

"I'll fucking kill him for this," Cloud growled. He kissed Reno quickly, then stood up, walking toward the next room. "Sephiroth," Cloud called. "I'm here. What do you need me to do?"

"You're too late, Cloud," Sephiroth replied flatly. "Look at him."

Genesis was still alive, but barely. He was gasping horribly, his skin grey and mottled. _He really is dying_, Cloud thought, almost feeling sympathy for the man. "Sephiroth, I'm…sorry," Cloud said. "Can I…where is the goddess materia? Maybe I can still try?" he offered.

Sephiroth regarded Cloud suspiciously. "And why would you do that for me? For Genesis?" he scoffed.

"Well, for one thing," Cloud retorted, "you have Reno hostage. That's a bit of an incentive for me to help you, no? Isn't that how you planned it?"

"Yes, I suppose so," Sephiroth said, sounding bored. "Cloud…Genesis wants to die. He wants me to let him go."

_~let me go Cloud~_

The words from Cloud's nightmare came back and hit him with full force, making him gasp aloud. "I'm…I'm sorry, Sephiroth," he murmured.

"Ha!" barked Sephiroth. "And why are you sorry, for someone such as me? A monster…"

"I'm only sorry for you," Cloud said steadily, "because as fucked up as you are, I know that you and Genesis really loved each other. And now you have to love him enough to let him go."

"Who are you to lecture me!" Sephiroth snapped. "I will say goodbye as I see fit!"

"Seph," Genesis gasped. "Please…sit with me," he said weakly. "It's coming…oh Seph, it's so beautiful, I wish you could see this…"

"No, Genesis, not yet," Sephiroth said, frantic. He took a seat on the bed next to Genesis, grasping his hand. "I don't want you to go, my love, I don't…"

_**This is the end  
Beautiful friend  
This is the end  
My only friend, the end **_

"Sephiroth," Genesis whispered, reaching his hand up to touch the general's face. "How I loved you…how I will always love you…you'll never know how much I loved you…"

"Please, Gen…" Sephiroth pleaded tearfully, clutching Genesis to him gently. "Just…let me hold you, just a little bit longer…"

"But I have to go, Seph," Genesis replied, smiling weakly. "They're all waiting for me. Angeal…my mother and father…"

_**Of our elaborate plans, the end  
Of everything that stands, the end  
No safety or surprise, the end  
I'll never look into your eyes...again**_

"No," Sephiroth insisted, clutching Genesis ever more tightly. "No, no, no…"

Suddenly, Genesis stiffened, and after a sharp intake of breath - died in Sephiroth's arms.

_Gone. He's…gone._

_He brought me back from the dead, and I couldn't do the same for him. He's…gone._

The room was silent; even Cloud and Reno couldn't bring themselves to speak. Cloud had quietly moved behind Reno, and had unsheathed his fusion sword, cutting Reno's wrists free from the bonds. "Shh," Cloud cautioned Reno to remain silent, and indicated to him that he should remain in the chair, pretending he was still bound. Reno nodded in acknowledgement, but wondering what Cloud was waiting for.

"Attack him now, he's distracted! " Reno whispered furiously.

"I can't do it, Reno," Cloud said sadly. "Not just yet, not…right now. He's…grieving. I can't help but think…what if that was us."

"Stop being so fucking sentimental, Cloud," Reno hissed. "Just run the fucker through with your sword."

Sephiroth kissed Genesis on the lips, then ghosted his fingers over his eyes, closing the eyelids, and gently placed him back on the pillow.

For the first time in his life, Sephiroth cried. He wept openly and brokenly, laying his head on Genesis's chest. _I shall never love again_, he thought. _My love…my heart, is gone._ His thoughts suddenly turned to Cloud and Reno. Standing, he unsheathed his masamune, and slowly walked over to the other room where they were. "You two," he muttered. "Always in my way, always…foiling my plans. And now, Cloud….you were too late. Maybe you could have helped, maybe not, but…you were too late. This is all your fault."

"Sephiroth, it's not my fault," Cloud pleaded. "I tried to help, I did…"

"You're worthless and weak, Strife," Sephiroth muttered. "There's too much…human in you." He stood in the doorway, almost appearing catatonic. "My love…my heart, is gone," he murmured. "And so shall you lose yours, Cloud." Sephiroth swiftly raised his left hand and cast Ultima on Cloud, knocking him back against the wall, and in his next movement, ran Reno through with his sword, aiming for his heart.

"No…." gasped Reno, blood spilling from his mouth. Cloud, still dazed after the attack, took one look at Reno and screamed. "Diggity!" he shouted, remembering the code word. "Fucking diggity!"

**Limit break, Cloud….use it. Just like we practiced.**

"I will, Zack," Cloud muttered. Grabbing the Buster Sword in his right hand, and the fusion sword in his right, Cloud charged swiftly toward Sephiroth, so quickly that the general had no time to even react. Cloud rotated his swords and crossed them in front of Sephiroth's throat; Cloud kept spinning, rapidly rotating the blades, while he pulled each sword to either side, cutting through Sephiroth's neck, and decapitating him.

The general's head rolled on the floor, hitting Cloud's boot. Sephiroth's eyes remained creepily open, the silver hair flowing behind becoming clotted and matted with the blood that was still spewing from the severed arteries.

"He didn't really fight back," Cloud murmured. "Like…he wanted to die. Oh gods, Reno!" Cloud snapped out of his reverie, and ran over to Reno. Fortunately, everyone else had arrived to attend to Reno, while Cloud was battling Sephiroth.

"Tseng," Cloud cried hoarsely. "How bad is he?" Reno was, by now, unconscious; Elena had gathered some ratty old blankets she'd found elsewhere in the cottage, and fashioned a litter out of them. She had brought the first aid kit, and was balling up gauze, shoving it into the hole in Reno's chest.

"It's pretty bad, Cloud," Tseng admitted. "He's bleeding out. If we don't get him to the hospital in time…"

"Can I fly him myself?" interrupted Cloud. "It'd be faster than loading him into the plane and taking off."

"I don't think Reno's in any condition to fly that way, Cloud," Tseng warned. "Unfortunately."

"Then let's go as quickly as possible," Vincent said. "Cid, can you…?"

"Already on it," Cid replied, running back toward the aircraft, which was parked just outside the center of the Forgotten City. "I'll start 'er up, you get that kid on board, and I'll get you to the hospital as fast as this bird'll fly."

"We have to move quickly, then," Cloud said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Oh Reno," he crooned, gazing at an unconscious Reno. "Reno, hold on baby, hold on…we're taking you to the hospital."

"Okay," Tseng said, as he washed his hands in a pan of water near the kitchen sink. "I've got the bleeding lessened, although it's not fully stopped. He'll need stitches, internally and externally, but I've given him a coagulant to slow the loss of blood, along with FullCure materia."

Yuffie, Vincent, Barret, Tseng, and Elena each took a corner of the makeshift blanket litter, and lifted Reno, walking him quickly but carefully toward the aircraft, Nanaki and Cloud following behind. "Nanaki…I think Sephiroth is really dead this time," Cloud noted, surprised. "I don't….feel him anymore. Do you?" he inquired.

"I think you're right, Cloud," Nanaki replied, nodding in agreement. "I don't feel him either."

"It all…happened so quickly," Cloud mumbled. "It doesn't even feel real." He took a quick glance behind him; the general's severed head was still on the floor, his headless body slumped over by the side.

The group trotted quickly and carefully, and got Reno on board the sick bay of aircraft as rapidly as they could. Cloud was still in a daze as Cid read off his preflight checklist, and went over the usual drill, telling everyone to fasten their seatbelts. Reno was strapped down to a gurney on board, while Cloud, Tseng and Elena, occupied the three passenger seats in the sick bay, everyone's eyes glued to Reno's sleeping form.

"I hope he'll be okay," Cloud whispered. "He…he has to be okay. I love him so much." Cloud's voice broke, and he began weeping. Elena, sitting next to Cloud, touched her hand to his shoulder. "I know you do, Cloud," Elena replied softly. "And listen – do you know how bloody stubborn that man over there is?" she asked, pointing at Reno. "If anyone can make it through anything, it's Reno."

"Yeah," Cloud said, sniffling. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Elena."

"If we get there quickly," Tseng stated, "and…judging by the way Highwind is flying this thing, we'll make record time –I think the surgeons can help him. I'm going to call ahead and warn them, that we're bringing a trauma patient in." He reached for his cell phone, and began dialing the number to the newly built Edge Medical Center.

"Can you do that?" Cloud inquired curiously. "I mean…it almost sounds like you're making a dinner reservation." He laughed shortly. "Gods, I'm making stupid jokes…at a time like this…" he muttered.

"And Reno wouldn't have it any other way, you know," Elena replied stubbornly.

"Yeah," Cloud said, smiling. "I know you're right about that."

Tseng ended the phone call, and turned to Elena and Cloud. "Okay, they'll meet us at the helipad. They'll have a trauma team waiting."

"Wait a minute," Cloud asked. "Where's Cid landing this thing? It'll be too heavy to land on the roof!"

"He'll be hovering over the helipad," Tseng explained. "We've got clearance to do so. And we'll lower Reno out via the rescue basket.

"Okay," Cloud said dubiously. "If you think that'll work…"

"It'll be fine, Cloud," Tseng replied, smiling. "We do this sort of maneuver all the time…rescues at sea, that sort of thing."

"Oh. Well, that's good," Cloud remarked.

Soon, they approached the city of Edge, and the new hospital was finally within sight. As soon as Cid slowed the engines to an idle, indicating that they had stopped, everyone unbuckled their seatbelts, and ran to assist with Reno.

"He okay?" Barret asked Cloud, worried.

"I pray to Gaia that he is," Cloud muttered. "We need to get him inside, Barret, and fast."

"Right," Barret replied. "Well, let's get him down there, then."

Cloud, Tseng, Elena and Vincent gingerly carried Reno, still unconscious, from the sick bay down to the cargo door. "Here's the rescue basket – there's a built-in stretcher here, see? Now we need to carefully get Reno in here and secured." Carefully, Tseng, Elena, Vincent, and Yuffie grasped Reno's limbs, with Cloud supporting the torso, as they lowered him into the basket. Reno's eyes fluttered open as he regained consciousness. "Cloud?" he whispered hoarsely.

"Reno!" Cloud shouted happily , kneeling down next to Reno, smoothing the hair away from his eyes. "Oh Reno….Reno, you've been hurt…we're at the hospital right now."

"There's a fucking hole in my chest, Cloud," Reno hissed through gritted teeth. "It really fucking hurts."

"I know, baby, I know," Cloud replied, soothingly. "We'll get it fixed. Reno…I love you," he whispered, kissing Reno's bloodied knuckles.

The Turk smiled weakly. "Yeah. Love you…" he mumbled as he lapsed back into unconsciousness.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Cloud straightened and stood up. "Okay. Let's get him down now." Tseng made sure the basket was secured, and signaled down to the trauma team waiting below that they would be lowering Reno to the ground. "Man coming down!" Tseng shouted to the assembled team.

Elena and Tseng carefully let the rope out, lowering Reno gingerly to the ground. "I'm flying down there myself after he's out," Cloud said impatiently.

"Of course you are," Tseng said, with a bemused grin. "But do let the surgeon…and the other doctors attend to Reno, Cloud," he warned.

"I will, Tseng," Cloud replied. "Of course I will! I just want to be there…if he wakes up again."

The rescue basket containing Reno had finally reached the ground, and the trauma team moved quickly to extricate himself from it, and placed him on a hospital gurney. Cloud decided to simply shimmy down the rope rapidly, in order to get down to the ground as quickly as he could. "Reno," he called, as he ran up to the side of the gurney. The Turk remained unconscious.

"Sir," an orderly warned Cloud. "Please stand aside while we transport the patient. You can follow alongside, but please let us though."

"Of course," Cloud agreed. The orderlies quickly steered Reno through a labyrinth of corridors within the hospital, finally reaching the elevator. They went down several floors, and by now Cloud was so disoriented, he doubted he'd ever be able to retrace his steps.

Finally, they reached the nurse's station outside of the operating room. The surgeon's assistant, Ms. Lefka, was on hand to talk to Cloud. "Hi, I'm Dr. Michiba's assistant…he'll be operating on Reno today," she greeted him. "I understand you came in with the patient today?"

"Yeah," replied Cloud. "He's my…my everything," he mumbled, blinking back tears.

"I understand," Ms. Lefka said softly. "'Dr. Michiba's our best cardiac surgeon, and we'll take good care of Reno for you."

"Thank you," Cloud replied, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Where…can I wait?"

"The nurse will show you to a waiting room on this floor," Ms. Lefka told him.

Hours upon hours passed, and there hadn't been any word on Reno's surgery. Cloud was pacing impatiently in the waiting room; by now, Tseng, Elena, Vincent, Yuffie, Nanaki and Cid had joined him.

"Something must have happened," Cloud snapped. "Something must have gone wrong."

"Hey, Cloud," Elena said calmly. "Don't jump to conclusions….we don't want them to rush this, right?"

Cloud sighed. "Yeah…I know. I'm just….I want to see him."

Suddenly, a nurse appeared, carrying a clipboard. "Mister…Strife?" she said quizzically. Cloud rushed over to her. "That's me, I'm Cloud Strife," he said hurriedly. "What's going on, is Reno out of surgery."

"He is," the nurse confirmed. "And he's in recovery now, doing well, according to Dr. Michiba. The doctor will be out to talk to you shortly."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Cloud. "Well," he continued, turning to the group, "I guess that's good news…so far.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. Michiba came out of the operating room. "Hello," he said, addressing Cloud. "And you are Cloud, yes?"

"Yeah," Cloud replied. "That's me. Doctor, how is Reno doing?"

"Remarkably well, considering his heart suffered a direct stab wound," the doctor replied. "I was able to get in there and repair the damage, and healing will take some time, but I'm confident he'll make a full recovery."

"Oh, thank Gaia," cried Cloud. "Can I see him?"

Dr. Michiba hesitated a moment. "You can see him now, but…there's something you need to know first. I had to medically induce a coma for Reno, in order to operate on him. I'm sorry to say, he's not coming out of the coma as quickly as we anticipated he would. That's not to say," Dr. Michiba continued, "that he won't come out of it; we just have to watch and wait, and monitor him closely."

"Coma?" Cloud echoed, dully. "Oh gods…"

"Please don't think the worst, Mr. Strife," Dr. Michiba told him. "Reno is young, and very strong…his chances of pulling through are very good."

"I want to see him," Cloud said, blinking back tears. "Right now."

"Of course," the doctor replied. "This way. Oh – only one visitor at a time, please."

Cloud nodded. "I'll be back guys," he told the group. "Can…can someone call Tifa and Rude, and let them know?"

"I'll do it," Tseng replied, reaching for his phone.

The doctor led Cloud to Reno's hospital room. The Turk was hooked up to various machines; a heart rate monitor, oxygen monitor, and a respirator. _Oh gods_, Cloud thought, a lump forming in his throat. _I can't….I can't bear to see him like this._

Cloud sat down next to Reno's bedside, gingerly holding the hand that was stuck with IV's. He never even heard Dr. Michiba say good-bye, or shut the door behind him.

"Reno," Cloud whispered. "I hope you can hear me in there…I wanted to tell you something. He's gone, Reno. Sephiroth is really gone, I killed him…I can't feel him anymore." The room was silent, save for the beeping of the various machines and monitors, and the noise of the respirator.

"Oh Reno," Cloud pleaded. "Come back to me. I came back to you…now it's your turn." He felt the tiniest, weakest squeeze from Reno's hand.

_**In dreams I walk with you**_  
_**In dreams I talk to you**_  
_**In dreams you're mine all of the time**_  
_**We're together in dreams, in dreams**_

"See?" Cloud said, smiling through his tears. "I know you're in there. Come back to me baby…come back to me."

* * *

**Okay…so this isn't REALLY the last chapter like I thought it would be. I can't end it like this, obviously! :)**

**It's just getting ridiculously long already, and I think the last chapter should stand alone, so…I'll be posting that at a later date. But soon, I promise!**

**The bands "Satan's Jockstrap" and "Epic Tower of Angst" do not exist (as far as I know, anyway!), but wouldn't it figure that Cloud likes Epic Tower of Angst? :)**


	20. Angels

**Songs quoted herein: "Hold On" by Sarah MacLachlan, and "Angels" by Robbie Williams.**

**Warnings for this chapter: language**

* * *

Cloud kept vigil by Reno's bedside at the hospital for the next four days and nights. The severely wounded Turk had been taken off his respirator once he was able to breathe on his own, but was still hooked up to oxygen, not to mention countless other machines monitoring his vital signs. He had still not regained consciousness since the near-fatal wound given him by Sephiroth, and had not yet come out of his coma.

All Cloud could do, was to watch, and wait, as Dr. Michiba had told him in the first place. Cloud refused to leave Reno's side, not even to eat. Tifa and Rude had flown back from Mideel after hearing about Reno being in the hospital. She began to worry about Cloud's well-being, and brought him some food and drink, along with clean clothing and a razor. By day four, she practically threw him into the shower adjoining Reno's sick room, forcing him to take the clean clothing and shaving paraphernalia she had brought him. "Tifa," Cloud warned her, "you come and knock , and get me _right away_ if he wakes up."

"I promise, Cloud," Tifa vowed. "Now…get cleaned up. You…stink," she scowled, waving her hand in front of her nose.

"Hmpf," Cloud grunted, as he took the bundle of clothing from Tifa. "I'm leaving the door open a crack so I can hear if anything happens—"

"Cloud!" Tifa snapped. "Just go! I'll be right here with Reno!"

"Fine," Cloud sighed, turning to leave.

Tifa settled herself in the chair by Reno's bed, where Cloud had been sitting nonstop for days. Reno was heavily bandaged across his chest, where Sephiroth's masamune had nearly cleaved him open. She touched the scar on her own chest, that long-faded strip of raised flesh, hidden between her breasts_. We both had practically the same injury_, same wound, Tifa noted with some interest_. I wonder if that was…intentional by Sephiroth? I remember that day on Mt. Nibel…Sephiroth said he would cut my heart out, and then I would know what it was like to be like…him. _She shuddered at the memory.

"Or," Tifa whispered. "Did he do this because...we both loved Cloud?" Tifa shook her head. _Best not to speculate on such things_, she thought The man – or monster, whatever he was – was now dead, along with Genesis. Cloud had seen to that.

A soft knock came at the door. It was Rude. Tifa glanced up and smiled as he entered. "Hey," she said softly, as Rude entered. "Reno's still the same."

Rude frowned. He was hoping there would've been some change after Reno had been comatose for four days. "And Cloud?" he questioned.

"In the shower," Tifa replied. "I made him do it. He stunk. Badly." She laughed quietly.

The bathroom door then opened, Cloud had showered and shaved in record time. He felt slightly better, and was glad to see that Rude had arrived. "Hey, Rude," he greeted the Turk quietly. "No change."

"I know," Rude replied. "Tifa told me. Look, we can stay here with him if you want to get some fresh air—"

"I said NO," Cloud snapped. Relenting a bit, he said, "I'm sorry, Rude. I just can't leave him…I just can't."

"It's okay, Cloud," Tifa said soothingly. "We get it. Why don't I go grab us some coffees and bring them back—"

Suddenly an alarm sounded, Reno's heart rate monitor was sounding, as his pulse rate started to take a meteoric dive. Cloud raced to Reno's side.

"Fuck!" shouted Cloud. "Get the doctor!" he yelled to Rude, who was already halfway out the door, doing just that.

_Dr. Michiba, Code Blue_, came a voice over the intercom.

"Oh gods, no, Reno, no….just hold on, baby, the doctor's coming," Cloud urged the still-comatose Turk. He had taken a seat beside him once again, and was squeezing Reno's unresponsive hand.

"Mr. Strife, please move away from the patient," ordered a female intern who entered the room with a defibrillator. Dr. Michiba was right behind her. "Let's get this patient prepped for defib. Nurse – vital signs, STAT."

"Right away, doctor," murmured a nurse, moving quickly to check Reno's signs of life.

The next thirty seconds were a blur to Cloud, as he stood helplessly aside, tears in his eyes. "Please, please…just let him get through this," Cloud murmured.

"Charging and….CLEAR!" shouted the intern as the paddles were applied to Reno's chest, causing his body to flop around like a rag doll. Everyone watched the monitor to see if there was any change in pulse rate, but it was still dropping.

"Again!" ordered Dr. Michiba.

"Charging…" muttered the intern.

Tifa and Rude stood to the side, just holding each other. She glanced at Rude, a worried look on her face. Rude was even more expressionless than usual, but Tifa caught one small movement that she had never seen before; his bottom lip trembled. "It's okay, babe," Tifa crooned, wrapping her arms around Rude. "Reno has to be okay…right?" she said tearfully.

"I don't know, Tifa," Rude choked back a sob. "I just don't know."

"….And CLEAR!" the intern shouted again, applying the paddles. Reno's body twitched again, causing Cloud to flinch_. Gods, please let this one work._

"Patient's respiration is dropping, doctor!" shouted the nurse.

"Bag him!" ordered Dr. Michiba. The nurse immediately grabbed the ambu bag and placed it over Reno's mouth, squeezing air into him. With each puff of air entering Reno's mouth through the bag, the beeps on Reno's heart monitor grew less frequent.

_Beep…beep..beep….beeeeeeeeep….._

Reno had flatlined. The nurse rechecked Reno's vitals again, as did the doctor, to verify her findings. Finally, the intern looked up, making eye contact with Dr. Michiba, and shaking his head sadly.

Sighing, Dr. Michiba glanced at the clock. "Time of death…9:37."

"NO!" howled Cloud. "NO!" He fell to the ground sobbing, as Tifa and Rude rushed over. "No, he can't be…it just can't be…after all we've been through together, why, FUCKING WHY!" Cloud wept sloppily on Tifa's shoulder.

"Oh gods," Tifa cried. "Oh Cloud, I'm so sorry!" She then noticed Rude quietly heading toward the door.

"Rude, don't-where are you going?" Tifa asked tearfully.

"I'm…I can't….I'll be outside!" Rude said hurriedly as he left, wiping tears from his eyes_. I lost a brother today_, he thought sadly.

"I…want to see him," Cloud sniffed. "Tifa, can you…help me. I don't think I can even stand right now," he said weakly.

"Of course, Cloud, I'll help you," Tifa soothed. "Come on." Helping Cloud to his feet, she walked him back over to the familiar chair he had been stationed in. "I'll…leave you two alone," she said quietly as she left the room.

"Thank you, Tifa," Cloud said quietly. "For everything."

Tifa smiled at him but said nothing; she just closed the door behind her.

Dr. Michiba was by Reno's bedside signing the death certificate. "I'm very sorry for your loss, Mr. Strife," the doctor said kindly. "We'll give you a few moments alone, but we'll be back within a few minutes to transport the patient…" _To the morgue_, Dr. Michiba finished the sentence silently. _No point in upsetting this despondent man any further_, he reasoned_. He's still in shock_.

"Thank you, Doctor. I know you did everything you could…" Cloud mumbled.

Nodding his head, Dr. Michiba silently exited the room, leaving Cloud and Reno alone.

Cloud let out a huge sigh, and began tearing up again as he gazed at Reno's lifeless form. "You crazy fucking Turk," he laughed bitterly. "Had to have the last fucking word, didn't you. As usual." The dam broke, and Cloud began weeping uncontrollably, laying his body across Reno's bandaged chest. "Oh gods, Reno," Cloud cried. "This hurts so much. I can't…I can't live without you. I don't _want_ to live without you. I don't want to let you go….but, I guess I have to…because you're dead. Oh…Reno. You'll never know how much I loved you…I never told you nearly enough…"

_**Oh God if you're out there won't you hear me  
**__**I know we've never talked before  
**__**Oh God the man I love is leaving  
**__**Won't you take him when he comes to your door…**_

* * *

Flowers. That was the first thing he smelled, was flowers. _Well shit_, thought Reno_. I must be in hell. I fucking hate flowers._

He was lying on his back in a field of flowers that completely enveloped him. Reno sat up slowly, surveying the scene around him. _Gods, this is horrible. The smell of these damned things!_

_Where the hell am I?_

_**I sit and wait  
**__**Does an angel  
**__**Contemplate my fate  
**__**And do they know  
**__**The places where we go  
**__**When we're grey and old**_

Looking down at his body, he noticed the giant gauze bandage still across his chest; yet, oddly, he felt no pain. "I guess Sephiroth really fucked me up but good," he sighed. Reno caught a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye.

He shot to his feet when he caught a glimpse of a familiar looking woman wearing a pink hair bow. "Aerith!" he exclaimed. "So…maybe I'm not in hell after all," he joked. "There's no way you would end up in the eternal flames."

Aerith smiled at Reno, and looking behind her, motioned to another, taller figure who was following her. _Damn, it's Zack Fair_, thought Reno_. Yup. I'm dead. Really fucking dead._

"Well, if it isn't the most annoying Turk in the world," Zack greeted Reno, grinning.

"Yeah, nice to see you too, Zack," smirked Reno. "Ass."

"Reno," Aerith said, smiling. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise," replied Reno. "Good to see a friendly face. I wish I was back with Cloud, though. He's not going to like this, me dying on him and all," Reno smiled sadly_. Shit, he's probably coming off the damned spool. I nearly did when I thought I lost him…_

"Well, that's what we have to talk to you about, Reno," Aerith said, frowning.

"What?" Reno said quizzically. "What's wrong now? I've had a bad fucking day, yo, don't lay any heavy shit on me—"

"Yeah, well," Zack said, interrupting Reno, "we have a problem here. The problem is: you don't belong here."

"I don't?" Reno said, surprised. A knowing grin passed over his face. "Oh, I get it. The heaven bus picked me up by mistake, and I really AM supposed to go to the eternal flames. It makes sense now…"

"Do you ever stop talking, Reno?" Aerith laughed. "What Zack is trying to say is – you have to go back."

"Go back?" Reno inquired suspiciously. "What do you mean, go back? Doesn't that shit only happen in the movies?"

"Afraid not, my friend," said Zack, clapping Reno on the shoulder. "You have to go back down there. Maybe even marry that boy, yeah?"

_Marry him? Oh…yeah. I should do that. I __**will **__do that,_ Reno thought, smiling.

"So….that's it, huh? Just go back? You know," he smiled, "Cloud's going to be pretty pissed about this dying/not dying shit."

"No he won't, Reno," Aerith said, furrowing her brows in concentration. "And…you really do have to go back. You don't want to miss meeting your daughter, do you?" she asked as she grasped Reno's hand, and mumbled a prayer.

"WHAT! What daughter, what are you talking about, Aerith?" Reno demanded. He felt his vision go white, Aerith was fading from his sight…her hand was slipping from his grasp as he fell…kept falling...

_Daughter…._

_**And through it all she offers me protection  
**__**A lot of love and affection  
**__**Whether I'm right or wrong  
**__**And down the waterfall  
**__**Wherever it may take me, I know that life won't break me**_

Cloud remained hunched over Reno's unmoving form, his face stuck to Reno's hospital nightgown with spent tears. He had no idea how long he'd been there – it was more than likely only a minute or two, but felt like an eternity to Cloud_. The love of my life…my heart, he's gone now_, he thought woefully_. I will never love another._

_Something just moved. Reno's hand. Just moved. But he's…dead! Declared dead, we all saw it…_

Choking and spluttering, Reno gasped and sat straight up in his bed. "Ow," he winced, touching his bandaged chest. "Damn. Still fucking hurts."

Cloud sat back in his chair, eyes widened, and unable to speak. Reno lay back down on his nest of pillows, and smiled over at the dumbstruck man. "I always wanted to be a father," he sighed happily. "Never thought it would happen, though…"

"R-Reno?" Cloud stuttered. "What are you talking about? First of all….how—how—how are you here?"

Raising an eyebrow, Reno gave a lopsided grin. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me," said Cloud, grasping Reno's hand in his and kissing it tenderly. "Gods, Reno," Cloud said, his hand trembling as he stroked Reno's hair. "I thought you were…"

"Yeah, I know. Dead. Well, I suppose I was," shrugged Reno. "But I'm back now, yo. Did you miss me?" he smiled.

Cloud was caught between laughing and crying. "Yes, I did, you crazy Turk," he cried, burying his face in Reno's neck and gently nuzzling him.

"Hey, whoa. Down, boy," Reno laughed. "I've got some stitches here, yo. A lot of 'em."

"Okay, so," Cloud began. "Tell me what…happened."

"Well, it's pretty simple. I died, and came back. The end. Oh wait," Reno hesitated. "That's not quite all of it."

"Reno," Cloud hissed. "This is like pulling fucking teeth. Can't you just….spit it out?"

"Okay, Cloud," Reno smiled. "As I said, I died. When I was…wherever I was…I saw Aerith. And then Zack."

"You saw Aerith and Zack?" Cloud whispered, dumbfounded.

Reno chuckled. "Is there an echo in here? Yeah. Aerith told me a few things…that I want to talk to you about later. But anyway, they told me to come back here….and now that I'm back, I gotta ask you a question."

"What is it?" asked Cloud, hanging on Reno's every word.

"Well," Reno drawled, "I can't exactly get out of this bed now and do it proper, down on one knee, can I. Nor do I have a ring. But anyway…what I want to ask you, Cloud…is this: Marry me, yo."

Cloud nodded speechlessly, his eyes brimming with tears. "That was…a…a yes, in case you didn't catch it," he cried, pressing his lips to Reno's for a gentle kiss.

"Mmm," growled Reno appreciatively. "I missed that."

"Hey Cloud," Reno said suddenly. "Find that doctor, would ya? And have him tear up my fucking death certificate. Can't exactly get a marriage license if I'm officially dead, right?"

"I will," Cloud promised, smiling. "But, Reno? What's this about a….daughter? Were you hallucinating?"

Reno chuckled. "First comes love…then comes marriage…then comes Cloudy with a baby carriage..."

Cloud shook his head, trying to make sense of Reno's babbling – and failing. "I'm still not following you, Reno," he said, confusedly.

"I'll 'splain later, babe," Reno yawned. "Tired now. Dying takes a lot out of you."

Smiling, Cloud squeezed himself beside Reno on the narrow bed, draping an arm gingerly and protectively around his waist_. I'll tell everyone later, that Reno's okay_, Cloud thought. _Or, they'll probably figure it out themselves. I just want to drown in this moment forever._

* * *

**Okay. So that's really, finally the end. XD Unless...anyone would like to see an epilogue and/or a sequel? XD Oh, I've got some ideas for that already, of course! Please leave a comment if you'd like to see what happens next!**

**A big THANK YOU, to everyone who read this fic and reviewed it, favorited it, or added it to their alerts. This is the first thing I've written on my own, not for a grade, that I finally fucking finished, all the way to the end. I'll be turning my attention to my crack!fic next ("Case of the Munchies"), but like I've said...I'm realllllly tempted to do at least an epilogue for this fic here. :)**


	21. Epilogue:  Forever

****

Songs quoted within: "Thank You", by Led Zeppelin

* * *

Summer had come early to Midgar, and while the month of May ended up being unseasonably hot, by mid-June, the weather had settled into a pattern of cool mornings, hot afternoons, and slightly less steamy nights. It was one such June morning, early in the day, when Cloud was nervously checking his reflection in the mirror. Today, of all days, he wanted to make sure he looked flawless.

It was his wedding day.

Finally, after everything he and Reno had been through, today would be the happiest day of their lives. At least, Cloud hoped it would be, once he figured out how to put on his tie. He was growing increasingly and ridiculously frustrated with his inability to put on a simple necktie, but Cloud wanted everything to be _perfect_. Including the stupid tie.

"Tifa!" he cried helplessly into the next room. Tifa would be serving as Cloud's maid of honor that day, and being a superstitious traditionalist, had sequestered herself and Cloud in the apartments over Seventh Heaven, having ordered Rude - Reno's best man - to keep the redhead far, far away from Cloud until the ceremony was about to begin. "But…" Reno had protested, to no avail. He and Cloud hadn't spent one night apart since the ordeal at the Northern Crater, and Reno didn't want to start that practice now – or ever, really. Reno knew that one night apart certainly wouldn't kill either of them, it would just…suck.

"Out," Tifa had ordered the Turk, shutting the door in his stunned face. It was a silly superstition, and Tifa would be the first to admit it; but, she wasn't taking any chances with her best friend's happiness, either. That was last night, the last time Cloud had seen Reno. Ten hours, thirty-two minutes, and five seconds ago. Not that Cloud was counting.

"What is it, Cloud?" Tifa asked him. She walked into the room, a baby in her arms, just shy of a month old. Tifa and Rude's baby - a girl - had been born in May, and was named Ariadne - Ari for short. "She's got your hair, yo," Reno had told Rude, right upon seeing her. The baby was, naturally, bald as a cueball, and Rude had merely grunted at Reno's remark, rolling his eyes.

"I-I can't do this!" Cloud wailed at his reflection. "The tie! Look at it, Teef!"

Tifa sighed, and grinned. "For a second, I thought you meant you couldn't do 'this', meaning the whole getting married to Reno thing," she said, giggling. "Here, hold the baby," Tifa commanded Cloud, handing the infant over. Ari cooed and gurgled, as Cloud shifted the small bundle in his arms. "Please don't spit up on me, Ari," he whispered to the baby, smiling gently down at her.

"That's not even funny, Tifa," Cloud told Tifa. "Don't even joke like that, I've been waiting for this day..."

"All of your life, I know!" Tifa said, completing his sentence for him. "Just teasing, Cloud, you need to relax," she said, fixing his tie for him. She stood back and inspected her handiwork; as she did so, a beam of sunlight shifted, peeking through the window blinds, and highlighted Cloud from the side, making him look almost ethereal in his white tux and tails. "Oh Cloud," she said softly, her bottom lip trembling slightly. "You look...beautiful. Reno's not going to be able to keep his eyes off of you."

"That reminds me," Cloud said nervously, as he gingerly handed Ari back to Tifa, and glanced at the clock on the wall, "shouldn't we get going? I don't want to be late..."

"The bride is always allowed to be late, you know," Tifa said teasingly, as she hoisted Ari onto her hip, and grabbed a diaper bag.

"I am NOT the bride, Tifa!" Cloud retorted stubbornly. "Why does everyone keep saying that!"

"Because...you're wearing all white, for one thing, Cloud," Tifa replied, grinning, as she set Ari into her stroller, buckling the infant in her seat securely.

Cloud sighed, rolling his eyes. "I knew this would happen. I never should have let Reno talk me into wearing all white. I look ridiculous."

Tifa locked up the restaurant, making sure the 'closed' sign was in the window, and glanced back at Cloud. _He looks anything but ridiculous_, she thought. _Only Cloud Strife could make an all-white tux and tails look badass._

"You look wonderful, Cloud," Tifa told him soothingly, as they began walking toward the outskirts of Edge and Midgar. "And I'm not just saying that because I'm your friend. You are drop dead handsome in that, you really are."

"Thanks, Teef," he replied, grinning. "Hey, let's get over to ShinRa. We've got a helicopter to catch." Cloud shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked alongside Tifa, smiling as he felt the rays of the early morning sun warm his face.

It was going to be a good day.

* * *

Reno was pacing nervously and checking his watch. He and Rude were standing in what Reno considered to be the most perfect spot on Gaia; and the one place in the world that Cloud had declared the 'only' place he'd want to exchange wedding vows with Reno, the fern grotto in Costa del Sol. Reno had initially protested the idea, feeling that it wouldn't be 'their' place anymore, after inviting all of their friends there to witness the event. Cloud stubbornly refused to back down. "Please, Reno?" he had begged. "That place...is where I found myself again, and I started over. I can't think anywhere else I'd rather be, as we begin our lives together."

Reno could hardly argue with that logic. He talked Cloud into letting him make some of the other major decisions in planning their wedding, including what they'd be wearing, along with the guest list. It was going to be a small and intimate gathering; the guest list was mostly comprised of Cloud's friends, a few business associates, and the Turks.

_The Turks._ Reno had finally patched things up with Tseng, after several months of awkward silence, mostly on Reno's end. He had even let Tseng talk him into taking on a few random assignments, knowing full well that Tseng was trying to get him to rejoin the group. Finally, about two months before the wedding day, Reno decided he really did miss being a Turk after all, and with Cloud's full support, was reinstated as a Turk. As much as his pride had been wounded before, Reno finally managed to forgive Tseng; and for Tseng's part, he vowed to never keep Reno out of the loop on anything. _Ever_.

Tseng and Elena would be flying Cloud, Tifa, and Ari out to the wedding site, in the ShinRa helicopter, and Reno kept glancing up at the sky for any sign of their arrival. He was still pacing, and friends were starting to gather at the wedding site. Yuffie and Vincent showed up, holding hands, and grinning. "Looking good, Reno!" Yuffie said, greeting him. Vincent was inclined to agree that Reno had cleaned up rather well. The Turk was decked out in a black tux and tails, his flaming red mane tied into a ponytail, secured by a strip of black leather. "Reno," Vincent said, greeting him. "So happy we're here to share in your day...thank you for inviting us."

"Of course we invited you, idiot," Reno replied, grinning. "We wouldn't want you to miss out on the wedding of the century."

"We'll have to see about that," Yuffie replied, giggling, as she extended her left hand in front of Reno, displaying an engagement ring, cut from Leviathan materia, and set in a white gold band. "Vin and I are next!"

"No shit!" exclaimed Reno, as he examined the ring. "So...you two, huh? Congratulations! Never would have thought it...you two didn't seem like you liked each other very much at first," the Turk commented, grinning.

Vincent raised an eyebrow curiously. "One could say the same about you and Cloud, Reno," he observed, smiling. "As I recall, didn't you and Cloud try to _kill _each other the first time you both met?"

"Pfft," Reno grunted, waving his hand dismissively. "That's in the past. _Way_ in the past."

Vincent grinned. "Things have certainly changed for many of us…and for the better."

Nodding, Reno said, "Yeah. I'll drink to that!" He suddenly felt around in his pockets for his flask, thinking a nip of good Mideel single malt might steady his nerves, which were getting shakier with each minute that passed. "Rude!" Reno shouted, clearly agitated. "Where the hell's my flask! I can't find it, and I _need_ it—"

"It's right here, Reno," Rude said coolly, smirking as he handed the silver flak over to his partner. "Remember, you gave it to me to hold onto it."

"I did?" Reno said quizzically, as he took a swig of whiskey from the flask. Suddenly, Reno began fumbling around in his pocket frantically. "Oh fuck, Rude! The rings, the fucking rings, I don't have them!" he wailed.

"I have those as well," Rude replied, smirking. "Maybe you should have that flask refilled."

"We should have brought the whole fucking bottle, yo," Reno complained, tipping his head back as he drained the flask. "Well, that's the rest of it. _Now_ how am I going to get through the rest of the day?" Reno cocked his ear as he heard the familiar sound of chopper blades rotating. Tseng was landing the chopper somewhere nearby; Reno looked skyward for a sign, but there was none. Tseng must have brought the chopper down fairly quickly.

"Oh gods, Rude, they're here. _He's_ here," Reno prattled on nervously to a slightly amused Rude. Rude had never seen Reno this nervous and shaken up before, and he was finding it quite interesting, to say the least.

"And?" Rude commented, smirking. "Did you think Cloud _wouldn't_ show up?"

"No," Reno replied, his eyes darting around, trying to see if Cloud was somewhere nearby, perhaps coming through the stand of trees nearby. "No,' he continued, "I mean…I _knew_ Cloud show up of course, it's just that…"

Rude raised an eyebrow behind his dark sunglasses and regarded Reno curiously. "Are you…getting cold feet, Reno?" he asked seriously.

"I'm not," Reno insisted, shaking his head. "I just…I have never been this fucking nervous in my life. This is _huge_, Rude!"

Chuckling, Rude retorted, "Tifa and I had a kid. That's pretty huge too, and…obviously, I lived to tell the tale. So get over it, Turk. Suck it up, princess, you're getting married today."

"Oh, fuck you, Rude!" Reno said cheerfully, clapping Rude on the shoulder. "Hey," he said seriously. "Thanks, man. I wouldn't want to have anyone else being my best man, yo."

Rude coughed, and adjusted his ever-present sunglasses. "Reno, you're like a brother to me," he said quietly. "I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else today."

"Don't make me cry, you bastard," Reno mumbled, sniffling. Suddenly, Barret, Nanaki, and Cid approached. "Hey, Reno, we just got here," Cid began. "This guy," he said, pointing irritably at Barret, made us late."

"Shaddup, Cid!" Barret snapped. "Anyway, uh…congratulations, y'all. We just saw Cloud on our way in, so…I guess this'll be starting soon, right?" he remarked, smiling.

"He's…here?" Reno said breathlessly, turning pale. "I think I might faint, yo."

"Don't you fucking dare," ordered Rude, as he grabbed Reno by the arm. "Come on. Let's go stand over there and wait for them." He led Reno over to where the officiant, a Justice of the Peace from Costa del Sol, was standing.

Reno took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves a bit more, and stood in front of the officiant, Rude by his side. He saw Tifa poke her head out through a thicket of bamboo stalks toward the rear of the grotto; she smiled and waved at everyone, indicating she'd be back in a moment.

"This is it, Cloud," she whispered to her best friend, who was still concealed by the bamboo thicket. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," he replied, smiling. "I think I am." Tseng and Elena were also standing behind Cloud, and Elena was holding baby Ari. "I'll come and get her right after the ceremony's done, Elena," Tifa whispered. "Thanks for minding her."

"She's no trouble at all," Elena replied, grinning at the baby, who was napping peacefully in her arms, having just been fed and changed.

Tseng, who had been by standing silently the whole time, cleared his throat. "Cloud?" he began hesitantly. "I, uh…I know you will, but I just want to say something before you and Reno pledge your lives to each other…"

"What is it, Tseng?" Cloud inquired, cocking his head as he regarded Tseng with interest.

"Reno…well, he's family to me, really," Tseng continued. "Just promise me…you'll take care of him. Take care of each other. I know you will, too," he concluded, smiling.

Cloud grinned. "Thank you, Tseng," he replied, extending his hand. Tseng grasped Cloud's hand firmly, and shook it. "Very happy for you both," the Wutaian said.

"Thanks," Cloud replied. "So…let's do this. I'm ready."

Tifa smiled, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. She linked arms with Cloud, and they made their way down the center path, heading toward the grotto – and Reno.

Reno had ceased his pacing when Tifa had announced that they were ready to proceed, and would be out soon. He decided to stare at the clouds, but then, this only reminded him of _his_ Cloud, and started to make him nervous all over again_. I could use some weed right about now_, he thought woefully, regretting that he had not brought Cloud's stash with him, as he stared down at his shoes.

When Reno raised his head again, he saw Cloud, arm in arm with Tifa. The very sight of him made Reno gasp; Cloud looked resplendent in his head-to-toe white tux. The Turk stood there with his mouth hanging open stupidly, half grinning, as Cloud and Tifa walked toward him.

"Oh gods," Cloud whispered, as he caught sight of Reno in his black tux and tails. "Look at him, Tifa, he looks…he looks…"

"He looks as handsome as you do," Tifa whispered back, smiling, and patting Cloud's arm. "You both do…you're a good looking pair, you know."

They finally reached their destination; Cloud and Reno stood facing each other, just staring, and unable to speak. Reno grinned widely, and took Cloud by the hand, leading him over to where the justice of the peace was standing.

"Shall we begin?" the justice murmured. With a nod from both Reno and Cloud, he began his opening remarks. Neither Cloud nor Reno heard much of what the justice of the peace was saying; all they could manage to do, was gaze longingly at each other as they held hands, grinning stupidly.

They both floated back down to reality when they saw Rude searching in his pocket for the rings. _Time for the official part_, Reno thought, as his nerves started to get the best of him again. Cloud's vision went starry, and he feared he might faint, so he held onto Reno's hand even tighter. "Steady," Reno whispered to him, grinning. "We're almost there."

Rude handed Reno's ring over to Cloud, as the justice of the peace began to speak. "Cloud and Reno will be exchanging rings, and reciting their vows now," he commented.

Cloud smiled through tears as he slid the ring over Reno's finger. "Reno," he said hoarsely. "You're my everything…the beginning, the end, and everything in between. We've been to hell and back together, and now, we're about to start our lives together. There's no one else I'd rather spend eternity with, than you. I love you, Reno."

**_If the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you.  
when mountains crumble to the sea, there would still be you and me_.**

Sniffling, Reno smiled at Cloud, and looked down at the ring now sitting on his finger. Taking a deep breath, he took Cloud's ring from Rude, and tried once again to steady his nerves by taking shallower breaths.

"Cloud," he began, praying he wouldn't trip over his words, "today you and I stand on the edge of forever, and that's a long time. We carried each other through some of our darkest days, and somehow managed to survive them, together." Reno touched his hand to his chest briefly, feeling the scar over his heart through the fabric of his shirt, as if to remind himself of one of those dark days. "Cloud…I loved you the moment I laid eyes on you, and I'll love you for the rest of our days." He blinked back a tear as he slid Cloud's ring onto his finger.

"We did it," Cloud whispered, smiling through tears.

"Yeah," Reno said, grinning. "We did."

The justice of the peace then pronounced them legally wed, and the minute Reno and Cloud were given the go-ahead to seal it with a kiss, Reno practically pounced on Cloud, kissing him fervently, as Cloud returned the kiss, embracing him tightly. "You're all mine," Cloud murmured in Reno's ear. "My husband."

Reno laughed. "I was always yours, Cloud," he said seriously. "Always. Now it's just...legal and shit." Reno kissed Cloud again, and then looked thoughtfully at his spouse.

"Hey, Cloud?" he asked.

"Yeah?" Cloud replied, still embracing Reno, and not wanting to let go.

"Can we just skip the reception and go straight to the honeymoon, yo?" he asked, grinning. Cloud laughed, as their friends all started to file forward to congratulate the newlyweds.

**_And so today, my world it smiles, your hand in mine, we walk the miles,  
Thanks to you it will be done, for you to me are the only one._**

_

* * *

_

**And that's really the end, kids. *sniff* But...I'm going to begin writing a sequel to this fairly soon, so stay tuned!**


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